Medium Access Control Application Timing in Non-Terrestrial Networks

ABSTRACT

A wireless device receives a packet corresponding to a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process, wherein the packet comprises a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE). Based on whether a feedback of the HARQ process being enabled or disabled, the wireless device applies the MAC CE after at least one of: a first time duration starting from transmission of feedback of the packet; or a second time duration starting from reception of the packet.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.63/333,668, filed Apr. 22, 2022, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Examples of several of the various embodiments of the present disclosureare described herein with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B illustrate example mobile communication networks inwhich embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented.

FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B respectively illustrate a New Radio (NR) user planeand control plane protocol stack.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of services provided between protocollayers of the NR user plane protocol stack of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 4A illustrates an example downlink data flow through the NR userplane protocol stack of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 4B illustrates an example format of a MAC subheader in a MAC PDU.

FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B respectively illustrate a mapping between logicalchannels, transport channels, and physical channels for the downlink anduplink.

FIG. 6 is an example diagram showing RRC state transitions of a UE.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example configuration of an NR frame into whichOFDM symbols are grouped.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example configuration of a slot in the time andfrequency domain for an NR carrier.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example of bandwidth adaptation using threeconfigured BWPs for an NR carrier.

FIG. 10A illustrates three carrier aggregation configurations with twocomponent carriers.

FIG. 10B illustrates an example of how aggregated cells may beconfigured into one or more PUCCH groups.

FIG. 11A illustrates an example of an SS/PBCH block structure andlocation.

FIG. 11B illustrates an example of CSI-RSs that are mapped in the timeand frequency domains.

FIG. 12A and FIG. 12B respectively illustrate examples of three downlinkand uplink beam management procedures.

FIG. 13A, FIG. 13B, and FIG. 13C respectively illustrate a four-stepcontention-based random access procedure, a two-step contention-freerandom access procedure, and another two-step random access procedure.

FIG. 14A illustrates an example of CORESET configurations for abandwidth part.

FIG. 14B illustrates an example of a CCE-to-REG mapping for DCItransmission on a CORESET and PDCCH processing.

FIG. 15 illustrates an example of a wireless device in communicationwith a base station.

FIG. 16A, FIG. 16B, FIG. 16C, and FIG. 16D illustrate example structuresfor uplink and downlink transmission.

FIG. 17 shows several DCI formats.

FIG. 18 .A shows an example of a non-terrestrial network.

FIG. 18B is an example figure of different types of NTN platforms.

FIG. 19A shows an example of an NTN with a transparent NTN platform.

FIG. 19B shows examples of propagation delay corresponding to NTNs ofdifferent altitudes.

FIG. 20 shows an example embodiment of a method that supportscommunication between a wireless device and a base station as per anaspect of the present disclosure.

FIG. 21 shows a flowchart illustrating a method that supportscommunication between a wireless device and a base station as per anaspect of the present disclosure.

FIG. 22 shows an example embodiment of a method that supportscommunication between a wireless device and a base station as per anaspect of the present disclosure.

FIG. 23 shows a flowchart illustrating a method that supportscommunication between a wireless device and a base station as per anaspect of the present disclosure.

FIG. 24 shows an example embodiment of a method that supportscommunication between a wireless device and a base station as per anaspect of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the present disclosure, various embodiments are presented as examplesof how the disclosed techniques may be implemented and/or how thedisclosed techniques may be practiced in environments and scenarios. Itwill be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art that variouschanges in form and detail can be made therein without departing fromthe scope. In fact, after reading the description, it will be apparentto one skilled in the relevant art how to implement alternativeembodiments. The present embodiments should not be limited by any of thedescribed exemplary embodiments. The embodiments of the presentdisclosure will be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings. Limitations, features, and/or elements from the disclosedexample embodiments may be combined to create further embodiments withinthe scope of the disclosure. Any figures which highlight thefunctionality and advantages, are presented for example purposes only.The disclosed architecture is sufficiently flexible and configurable,such that it may be utilized in ways other than that shown. For example,the actions listed in any flowchart may be re-ordered or only optionallyused in some embodiments.

Embodiments may be configured to operate as needed. The disclosedmechanism may be performed when certain criteria are met, for example,in a wireless device, a base station, a radio environment, a network, acombination of the above, and/or the like. Example criteria may bebased, at least in part, on for example, wireless device or network nodeconfigurations, traffic load, initial system set up, packet sizes,traffic characteristics, a combination of the above, and/or the like.When the one or more criteria are met, various example embodiments maybe applied. Therefore, it may be possible to implement exampleembodiments that selectively implement disclosed protocols.

A base station may communicate with a mix of wireless devices. Wirelessdevices and/or base stations may support multiple technologies, and/ormultiple releases of the same technology. Wireless devices may have somespecific capability(ies) depending on wireless device category and/orcapability(ies). When this disclosure refers to a base stationcommunicating with a plurality of wireless devices, this disclosure mayrefer to a subset of the total wireless devices in a coverage area. Thisdisclosure may refer to, for example, a plurality of wireless devices ofa given LTE or 5G release with a given capability and in a given sectorof the base station. The plurality of wireless devices in thisdisclosure may refer to a selected plurality of wireless devices, and/ora subset of total wireless devices in a coverage area which performaccording to disclosed methods, and/or the like. There may be aplurality of base stations or a plurality of wireless devices in acoverage area that may not comply with the disclosed methods, forexample, those wireless devices or base stations may perform based onolder releases of LTE or 5G technology.

In this disclosure, “a” and “an” and similar phrases are to beinterpreted as “at least one” and “one or more.” Similarly, any termthat ends with the suffix “(s)” is to be interpreted as “at least one”and “one or more.” In this disclosure, the term “may” is to beinterpreted as “may, for example.” In other words, the term “may” isindicative that the phrase following the term “may” is an example of oneof a multitude of suitable possibilities that may, or may not, beemployed by one or more of the various embodiments. The terms“comprises” and “consists of”, as used herein, enumerate one or morecomponents of the element being described. The term “comprises” isinterchangeable with “includes” and does not exclude unenumeratedcomponents from being included in the element being described. Bycontrast, “consists of” provides a complete enumeration of the one ormore components of the element being described. The term “based on”, asused herein, should be interpreted as “based at least in part on” ratherthan, for example, “based solely on”. The term “and/or” as used hereinrepresents any possible combination of enumerated elements. For example,“A, B, and/or C” may represent A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; or A,B, and C.

If A and B are sets and every element of A is an element of B, A iscalled a subset of

B. In this specification, only non-empty sets and subsets areconsidered. For example, possible subsets of B={cell1, cell2} are:{cell1}, {cell2}, and {cell1, cell2}. The phrase “based on” (or equally“based at least on”) is indicative that the phrase following the term“based on” is an example of one of a multitude of suitable possibilitiesthat may, or may not, be employed to one or more of the variousembodiments. The phrase “in response to” (or equally “in response atleast to”) is indicative that the phrase following the phrase “inresponse to” is an example of one of a multitude of suitablepossibilities that may, or may not, be employed to one or more of thevarious embodiments. The phrase “depending on” (or equally “depending atleast to”) is indicative that the phrase following the phrase “dependingon” is an example of one of a multitude of suitable possibilities thatmay, or may not, be employed to one or more of the various embodiments.The phrase “employing/using” (or equally “employing/using at least”) isindicative that the phrase following the phrase “employing/using” is anexample of one of a multitude of suitable possibilities that may, or maynot, be employed to one or more of the various embodiments.

The term configured may relate to the capacity of a device whether thedevice is in an operational or non-operational state. Configured mayrefer to specific settings in a device that effect the operationalcharacteristics of the device whether the device is in an operational ornon-operational state. In other words, the hardware, software, firmware,registers, memory values, and/or the like may be “configured” within adevice, whether the device is in an operational or nonoperational state,to provide the device with specific characteristics. Terms such as “acontrol message to cause in a device” may mean that a control messagehas parameters that may be used to configure specific characteristics ormay be used to implement certain actions in the device, whether thedevice is in an operational or non-operational state.

In this disclosure, parameters (or equally called, fields, orInformation elements: IEs) may comprise one or more information objects,and an information object may comprise one or more other objects. Forexample, if parameter (IE) N comprises parameter (IE) M, and parameter(IE) M comprises parameter (IE) K, and parameter (IE) K comprisesparameter (information element) J. Then, for example, N comprises K, andN comprises J. In an example embodiment, when one or more messagescomprise a plurality of parameters, it implies that a parameter in theplurality of parameters is in at least one of the one or more messages,but does not have to be in each of the one or more messages.

Many features presented are described as being optional through the useof “may” or the use of parentheses. For the sake of brevity andlegibility, the present disclosure does not explicitly recite each andevery permutation that may be obtained by choosing from the set ofoptional features. The present disclosure is to be interpreted asexplicitly disclosing all such permutations. For example, a systemdescribed as having three optional features may be embodied in sevenways, namely with just one of the three possible features, with any twoof the three possible features or with three of the three possiblefeatures.

Many of the elements described in the disclosed embodiments may beimplemented as modules. A module is defined here as an element thatperforms a defined function and has a defined interface to otherelements. The modules described in this disclosure may be implemented inhardware, software in combination with hardware, firmware, wetware (e.g.hardware with a biological element) or a combination thereof, which maybe behaviorally equivalent. For example, modules may be implemented as asoftware routine written in a computer language configured to beexecuted by a hardware machine (such as C, C++, Fortran, Java, Basic,Matlab or the like) or a modeling/simulation program such as Simulink,Stateflow, GNU Octave, or Lab VIEWMathScript. It may be possible toimplement modules using physical hardware that incorporates discrete orprogrammable analog, digital and/or quantum hardware. Examples ofprogrammable hardware comprise: computers, microcontrollers,microprocessors, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs); fieldprogrammable gate arrays (FPGAs); and complex programmable logic devices(CPLDs). Computers, microcontrollers and microprocessors are programmedusing languages such as assembly, C, C++ or the like. FPGAs, ASICs andCPLDs are often programmed using hardware description languages (HDL)such as VHSIC hardware description language (VHDL) or Verilog thatconfigure connections between internal hardware modules with lesserfunctionality on a programmable device. The mentioned technologies areoften used in combination to achieve the result of a functional module.

FIG. 1A illustrates an example of a mobile communication network 100 inwhich embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented. Themobile communication network 100 may be, for example, a public landmobile network (PLMN) run by a network operator. As illustrated in FIG.1A, the mobile communication network 100 includes a core network (CN)102, a radio access network (RAN) 104, and a wireless device 106.

The CN 102 may provide the wireless device 106 with an interface to oneor more data networks (DNs), such as public DNs (e.g., the Internet),private DNs, and/or intra-operator DNs. As part of the interfacefunctionality, the CN 102 may set up end-to-end connections between thewireless device 106 and the one or more DNs, authenticate the wirelessdevice 106, and provide charging functionality.

The RAN 104 may connect the CN 102 to the wireless device 106 throughradio communications over an air interface. As part of the radiocommunications, the RAN 104 may provide scheduling, radio resourcemanagement, and retransmission protocols. The communication directionfrom the RAN 104 to the wireless device 106 over the air interface isknown as the downlink and the communication direction from the wirelessdevice 106 to the RAN 104 over the air interface is known as the uplink.Downlink transmissions may be separated from uplink transmissions usingfrequency division duplexing (FDD), time-division duplexing (TDD),and/or some combination of the two duplexing techniques.

The term wireless device may be used throughout this disclosure to referto and encompass any mobile device or fixed (non-mobile) device forwhich wireless communication is needed or usable. For example, awireless device may be a telephone, smart phone, tablet, computer,laptop, sensor, meter, wearable device, Internet of Things (IoT) device,vehicle road side unit (RSU), relay node, automobile, and/or anycombination thereof. The term wireless device encompasses otherterminology, including user equipment (UE), user terminal (UT), accessterminal (AT), mobile station, handset, wireless transmit and receiveunit (WTRU), and/or wireless communication device.

The RAN 104 may include one or more base stations (not shown). The termbase station may be used throughout this disclosure to refer to andencompass a Node B (associated with UMTS and/or 3G standards), anEvolved Node B (eNB, associated with E-UTRA and/or 4G standards), aremote radio head (RRH), a baseband processing unit coupled to one ormore RRHs, a repeater node or relay node used to extend the coveragearea of a donor node, a Next Generation Evolved Node B (ng-eNB), aGeneration Node B (gNB, associated with NR and/or 5G standards), anaccess point (AP, associated with, for example, WiFi or any othersuitable wireless communication standard), and/or any combinationthereof. A base station may comprise at least one gNB Central Unit(gNB-CU) and at least one a gNB Distributed Unit (gNB-DU).

A base station included in the RAN 104 may include one or more sets ofantennas for communicating with the wireless device 106 over the airinterface. For example, one or more of the base stations may includethree sets of antennas to respectively control three cells (or sectors).The size of a cell may be determined by a range at which a receiver(e.g., a base station receiver) can successfully receive thetransmissions from a transmitter (e.g., a wireless device transmitter)operating in the cell. Together, the cells of the base stations mayprovide radio coverage to the wireless device 106 over a wide geographicarea to support wireless device mobility.

In addition to three-sector sites, other implementations of basestations are possible.

For example, one or more of the base stations in the RAN 104 may beimplemented as a sectored site with more or less than three sectors. Oneor more of the base stations in the RAN 104 may be implemented as anaccess point, as a baseband processing unit coupled to several remoteradio heads (RRHs), and/or as a repeater or relay node used to extendthe coverage area of a donor node. A baseband processing unit coupled toRRHs may be part of a centralized or cloud RAN architecture, where thebaseband processing unit may be either centralized in a pool of basebandprocessing units or virtualized. A repeater node may amplify andrebroadcast a radio signal received from a donor node. A relay node mayperform the same/similar functions as a repeater node but may decode theradio signal received from the donor node to remove noise beforeamplifying and rebroadcasting the radio signal.

The RAN 104 may be deployed as a homogenous network of macrocell basestations that have similar antenna patterns and similar high-leveltransmit powers. The RAN 104 may be deployed as a heterogeneous network.In heterogeneous networks, small cell base stations may be used toprovide small coverage areas, for example, coverage areas that overlapwith the comparatively larger coverage areas provided by macrocell basestations. The small coverage areas may be provided in areas with highdata traffic (or so-called “hotspots”) or in areas with weak macrocellcoverage. Examples of small cell base stations include, in order ofdecreasing coverage area, microcell base stations, picocell basestations, and femtocell base stations or home base stations.

The Third-Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) was formed in 1998 toprovide global standardization of specifications for mobilecommunication networks similar to the mobile communication network 100in FIG. 1A. To date, 3GPP has produced specifications for threegenerations of mobile networks: a third generation (3G) network known asUniversal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), a fourth generation(4G) network known as Long-Term Evolution (LTE), and a fifth generation(5G) network known as 5G System (5GS). Embodiments of the presentdisclosure are described with reference to the RAN of a 3GPP 5G network,referred to as next-generation RAN (NG-RAN). Embodiments may beapplicable to RANs of other mobile communication networks, such as theRAN 104 in FIG. 1A, the RANs of earlier 3G and 4G networks, and those offuture networks yet to be specified (e.g., a 3GPP 6G network). NG-RANimplements 5G radio access technology known as New Radio (NR) and may beprovisioned to implement 4G radio access technology or other radioaccess technologies, including non-3GPP radio access technologies.

FIG. 1B illustrates another example mobile communication network 150 inwhich embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented. Mobilecommunication network 150 may be, for example, a PLMN run by a networkoperator. As illustrated in FIG. 1B, mobile communication network 150includes a 5G core network (5G-CN) 152, an NG-RAN 154, and UEs 156A and156B (collectively UEs 156). These components may be implemented andoperate in the same or similar manner as corresponding componentsdescribed with respect to FIG. 1A.

The 5G-CN 152 provides the UEs 156 with an interface to one or more DNs,such a public DNs (e.g., the Internet), private DNs, and/orintra-operator DNs. As part of the interface functionality, the 5G-CN152 may set up end-to-end connections between the UEs 156 and the one ormore DNs, authenticate the UEs 156, and provide charging functionality.Compared to the CN of a 3GPP 4G network, the basis of the 5G-CN 152 maybe a service-based architecture. This means that the architecture of thenodes making up the 5G-CN 152 may be defined as network functions thatoffer services via interfaces to other network functions. The networkfunctions of the 5G-CN 152 may be implemented in several ways, includingas network elements on dedicated or shared hardware, as softwareinstances running on dedicated or shared hardware, or as virtualizedfunctions instantiated on a platform (e.g., a cloud-based platform).

As illustrated in FIG. 1B, the 5G-CN 152 includes an Access and Mobility

Management Function (AMF) 158A and a User Plane Function (UPF) 158B,which are shown as one component AMF/UPF 158 in FIG. 1B for ease ofillustration. The UPF 158B may serve as a gateway between the NG-RAN 154and the one or more DNs. The UPF 158B may perform functions such aspacket routing and forwarding, packet inspection and user plane policyrule enforcement, traffic usage reporting, uplink classification tosupport routing of traffic flows to the one or more DNs, quality ofservice (QoS) handling for the user plane (e.g., packet filtering,gating, uplink/downlink rate enforcement, and uplink trafficverification), downlink packet buffering, and downlink data notificationtriggering. The UPF 158B may serve as an anchor point forintra-/inter-Radio Access Technology (RAT) mobility, an externalprotocol (or packet) data unit (PDU) session point of interconnect tothe one or more DNs, and/or a branching point to support a multi-homedPDU session. The UEs 156 may be configured to receive services through aPDU session, which is a logical connection between a UE and a DN.

The AMF 158A may perform functions such as Non-Access Stratum (NAS)signaling termination, NAS signaling security, Access Stratum (AS)security control, inter-CN node signaling for mobility between 3GPPaccess networks, idle mode UE reachability (e.g., control and executionof paging retransmission), registration area management, intra-systemand inter-system mobility support, access authentication, accessauthorization including checking of roaming rights, mobility managementcontrol (subscription and policies), network slicing support, and/orsession management function (SMF) selection. NAS may refer to thefunctionality operating between a CN and a UE, and AS may refer to thefunctionality operating between the UE and a RAN.

The 5G-CN 152 may include one or more additional network functions thatare not shown in FIG. 1B for the sake of clarity. For example, the 5G-CN152 may include one or more of a Session Management Function (SMF), anNR Repository Function (NRF), a Policy Control Function (PCF), a NetworkExposure Function (NEF), a Unified Data Management (UDM), an ApplicationFunction (AF), and/or an Authentication Server Function (AUSF).

The NG-RAN 154 may connect the 5G-CN 152 to the UEs 156 through radiocommunications over the air interface. The NG-RAN 154 may include one ormore gNBs, illustrated as gNB 160A and gNB 160B (collectively gNBs 160)and/or one or more ng-eNBs, illustrated as ng-eNB 162A and ng-eNB 162B(collectively ng-eNBs 162). The gNBs 160 and ng-eNBs 162 may be moregenerically referred to as base stations. The gNBs 160 and ng-eNBs 162may include one or more sets of antennas for communicating with the UEs156 over an air interface. For example, one or more of the gNBs 160and/or one or more of the ng-eNBs 162 may include three sets of antennasto respectively control three cells (or sectors). Together, the cells ofthe gNBs 160 and the ng-eNBs 162 may provide radio coverage to the UEs156 over a wide geographic area to support UE mobility.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the gNBs 160 and/or the ng-eNBs 162 may beconnected to the 5G-CN 152 by means of an NG interface and to other basestations by an Xn interface. The NG and Xn interfaces may be establishedusing direct physical connections and/or indirect connections over anunderlying transport network, such as an internet protocol (IP)transport network. The gNBs 160 and/or the ng-eNBs 162 may be connectedto the UEs 156 by means of a Uu interface. For example, as illustratedin FIG. 1B, gNB 160A may be connected to the UE 156A by means of a Uuinterface. The NG, Xn, and Uu interfaces are associated with a protocolstack. The protocol stacks associated with the interfaces may be used bythe network elements in FIG. 1B to exchange data and signaling messagesand may include two planes: a user plane and a control plane. The userplane may handle data of interest to a user. The control plane mayhandle signaling messages of interest to the network elements.

The gNBs 160 and/or the ng-eNBs 162 may be connected to one or moreAMF/UPF functions of the 5G-CN 152, such as the AMF/UPF 158, by means ofone or more NG interfaces. For example, the gNB 160A may be connected tothe UPF 158B of the AMF/UPF 158 by means of an NG-User plane (NG-U)interface. The NG-U interface may provide delivery (e.g., non-guaranteeddelivery) of user plane PDUs between the gNB 160A and the UPF 158B. ThegNB 160A may be connected to the AMF 158A by means of an NG-Controlplane (NG-C) interface. The NG-C interface may provide, for example, NGinterface management, UE context management, UE mobility management,transport of NAS messages, paging, PDU session management, andconfiguration transfer and/or warning message transmission.

The gNBs 160 may provide NR user plane and control plane protocolterminations towards the UEs 156 over the Uu interface. For example, thegNB 160A may provide NR user plane and control plane protocolterminations toward the UE 156A over a Uu interface associated with afirst protocol stack. The ng-eNBs 162 may provide Evolved UMTSTerrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) user plane and control plane protocolterminations towards the UEs 156 over a Uu interface, where E-UTRArefers to the 3GPP 4G radio-access technology. For example, the ng-eNB162B may provide E-UTRA user plane and control plane protocolterminations towards the UE 156B over a Uu interface associated with asecond protocol stack.

The 5G-CN 152 was described as being configured to handle NR and 4Gradio accesses. It will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in theart that it may be possible for NR to connect to a 4G core network in amode known as “non-standalone operation.” In non-standalone operation, a4G core network is used to provide (or at least support) control-planefunctionality (e.g., initial access, mobility, and paging). Althoughonly one AMF/UPF 158 is shown in FIG. 1B, one gNB or ng-eNB may beconnected to multiple AMF/UPF nodes to provide redundancy and/or to loadshare across the multiple AMF/UPF nodes.

As discussed, an interface (e.g., Uu, Xn, and NG interfaces) between thenetwork elements in FIG. 1B may be associated with a protocol stack thatthe network elements use to exchange data and signaling messages. Aprotocol stack may include two planes: a user plane and a control plane.The user plane may handle data of interest to a user, and the controlplane may handle signaling messages of interest to the network elements.

FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B respectively illustrate examples of NR user planeand NR control plane protocol stacks for the Uu interface that liesbetween a UE 210 and a gNB 220. The protocol stacks illustrated in FIG.2A and FIG. 2B may be the same or similar to those used for the Uuinterface between, for example, the UE 156A and the gNB 160A shown inFIG. 1B.

FIG. 2A illustrates a NR user plane protocol stack comprising fivelayers implemented in the UE 210 and the gNB 220. At the bottom of theprotocol stack, physical layers (PHYs) 211 and 221 may provide transportservices to the higher layers of the protocol stack and may correspondto layer 1 of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model. The nextfour protocols above PHYs 211 and 221 comprise media access controllayers (MACs) 212 and 222, radio link control layers (RLCs) 213 and 223,packet data convergence protocol layers (PDCPs) 214 and 224, and servicedata application protocol layers (SDAPs) 215 and 225. Together, thesefour protocols may make up layer 2, or the data link layer, of the OSImodel.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of services provided between protocollayers of the NR user plane protocol stack. Starting from the top ofFIG. 2A and FIG. 3 , the SDAPs 215 and 225 may perform QoS flowhandling. The UE 210 may receive services through a PDU session, whichmay be a logical connection between the UE 210 and a DN. The PDU sessionmay have one or more QoS flows. A UPF of a CN (e.g., the UPF 158B) maymap IP packets to the one or more QoS flows of the PDU session based onQoS requirements (e.g., in terms of delay, data rate, and/or errorrate). The SDAPs 215 and 225 may perform mapping/de-mapping between theone or more QoS flows and one or more data radio bearers. Themapping/de-mapping between the QoS flows and the data radio bearers maybe determined by the SDAP 225 at the gNB 220. The SDAP 215 at the UE 210may be informed of the mapping between the QoS flows and the data radiobearers through reflective mapping or control signaling received fromthe gNB 220. For reflective mapping, the SDAP 225 at the gNB 220 maymark the downlink packets with a QoS flow indicator (QFI), which may beobserved by the SDAP 215 at the UE 210 to determine themapping/de-mapping between the QoS flows and the data radio bearers.

The PDCPs 214 and 224 may perform header compression/decompression toreduce the amount of data that needs to be transmitted over the airinterface, ciphering/deciphering to prevent unauthorized decoding ofdata transmitted over the air interface, and integrity protection (toensure control messages originate from intended sources. The PDCPs 214and 224 may perform retransmissions of undelivered packets, in-sequencedelivery and reordering of packets, and removal of packets received induplicate due to, for example, an intra-gNB handover. The PDCPs 214 and224 may perform packet duplication to improve the likelihood of thepacket being received and, at the receiver, remove any duplicatepackets. Packet duplication may be useful for services that require highreliability.

Although not shown in FIG. 3 , PDCPs 214 and 224 may performmapping/de-mapping between a split radio bearer and RLC channels in adual connectivity scenario. Dual connectivity is a technique that allowsa UE to connect to two cells or, more generally, two cell groups: amaster cell group (MCG) and a secondary cell group (SCG). A split beareris when a single radio bearer, such as one of the radio bearers providedby the PDCPs 214 and 224 as a service to the SDAPs 215 and 225, ishandled by cell groups in dual connectivity. The PDCPs 214 and 224 maymap/de-map the split radio bearer between RLC channels belonging to cellgroups.

The RLCs 213 and 223 may perform segmentation, retransmission through

Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ), and removal of duplicate data unitsreceived from MACs 212 and 222, respectively. The RLCs 213 and 223 maysupport three transmission modes: transparent mode (TM); unacknowledgedmode (UM); and acknowledged mode (AM). Based on the transmission mode anRLC is operating, the RLC may perform one or more of the notedfunctions. The RLC configuration may be per logical channel with nodependency on numerologies and/or Transmission Time Interval (TTI)durations. As shown in FIG. 3 , the RLCs 213 and 223 may provide RLCchannels as a service to PDCPs 214 and 224, respectively.

The MACs 212 and 222 may perform multiplexing/demultiplexing of logicalchannels and/or mapping between logical channels and transport channels.The multiplexing/demultiplexing may include multiplexing/demultiplexingof data units, belonging to the one or more logical channels, into/fromTransport Blocks (TBs) delivered to/from the PHYs 211 and 221. The MAC222 may be configured to perform scheduling, scheduling informationreporting, and priority handling between UEs by means of dynamicscheduling. Scheduling may be performed in the gNB 220 (at the MAC 222)for downlink and uplink. The MACs 212 and 222 may be configured toperform error correction through Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ)(e.g., one HARQ entity per carrier in case of Carrier Aggregation (CA)),priority handling between logical channels of the UE 210 by means oflogical channel prioritization, and/or padding. The MACs 212 and 222 maysupport one or more numerologies and/or transmission timings. In anexample, mapping restrictions in a logical channel prioritization maycontrol which numerology and/or transmission timing a logical channelmay use. As shown in FIG. 3 , the MACs 212 and 222 may provide logicalchannels as a service to the RLCs 213 and 223.

The PHYs 211 and 221 may perform mapping of transport channels tophysical channels and digital and analog signal processing functions forsending and receiving information over the air interface. These digitaland analog signal processing functions may include, for example,coding/decoding and modulation/demodulation. The PHYs 211 and 221 mayperform multi-antenna mapping. As shown in FIG. 3 , the PHYs 211 and 221may provide one or more transport channels as a service to the MACs 212and 222.

FIG. 4A illustrates an example downlink data flow through the NR userplane protocol stack. FIG. 4A illustrates a downlink data flow of threeIP packets (n, n+1, and m) through the NR user plane protocol stack togenerate two TBs at the gNB 220. An uplink data flow through the NR userplane protocol stack may be similar to the downlink data flow depictedin FIG. 4A.

The downlink data flow of FIG. 4A begins when SDAP 225 receives thethree IP packets from one or more QoS flows and maps the three packetsto radio bearers. In FIG. 4A, the SDAP 225 maps IP packets n and n+1 toa first radio bearer 402 and maps IP packet m to a second radio bearer404. An SDAP header (labeled with an “H” in FIG. 4A) is added to an IPpacket. The data unit from/to a higher protocol layer is referred to asa service data unit (SDU) of the lower protocol layer and the data unitto/from a lower protocol layer is referred to as a protocol data unit(PDU) of the higher protocol layer. As shown in FIG. 4A, the data unitfrom the SDAP 225 is an SDU of lower protocol layer PDCP 224 and is aPDU of the SDAP 225.

The remaining protocol layers in FIG. 4A may perform their associatedfunctionality (e.g., with respect to FIG. 3 ), add correspondingheaders, and forward their respective outputs to the next lower layer.For example, the PDCP 224 may perform IP-header compression andciphering and forward its output to the RLC 223. The RLC 223 mayoptionally perform segmentation (e.g., as shown for IP packet m in FIG.4A) and forward its output to the MAC 222. The MAC 222 may multiplex anumber of RLC PDUs and may attach a MAC subheader to an RLC PDU to forma transport block. In NR, the MAC subheaders may be distributed acrossthe MAC PDU, as illustrated in FIG. 4A. In LTE, the MAC subheaders maybe entirely located at the beginning of the MAC PDU. The NR MAC PDUstructure may reduce processing time and associated latency because theMAC PDU subheaders may be computed before the full MAC PDU is assembled.

FIG. 4B illustrates an example format of a MAC subheader in a MAC PDU.The

MAC subheader includes: an SDU length field for indicating the length(e.g., in bytes) of the MAC SDU to which the MAC subheader corresponds;a logical channel identifier (LCID) field for identifying the logicalchannel from which the MAC SDU originated to aid in the demultiplexingprocess; a flag (F) for indicating the size of the SDU length field; anda reserved bit (R) field for future use.

FIG. 4B further illustrates MAC control elements (CEs) inserted into theMAC PDU by a MAC, such as MAC 223 or MAC 222. For example, FIG. 4Billustrates two MAC CEs inserted into the MAC PDU. MAC CEs may beinserted at the beginning of a MAC PDU for downlink transmissions (asshown in FIG. 4B) and at the end of a MAC PDU for uplink transmissions.MAC CEs may be used for in-band control signaling. Example MAC CEsinclude: scheduling-related MAC CEs, such as buffer status reports andpower headroom reports; activation/deactivation MAC CEs, such as thosefor activation/deactivation of PDCP duplication detection, channel stateinformation (CSI) reporting, sounding reference signal (SRS)transmission, and prior configured components; discontinuous reception(DRX) related MAC CEs; timing advance MAC CEs; and random access relatedMAC CEs. A MAC CE may be preceded by a MAC subheader with a similarformat as described for MAC SDUs and may be identified with a reservedvalue in the LCID field that indicates the type of control informationincluded in the MAC CE.

Before describing the NR control plane protocol stack, logical channels,transport channels, and physical channels are first described as well asa mapping between the channel types. One or more of the channels may beused to carry out functions associated with the NR control planeprotocol stack described later below.

FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B illustrate, for downlink and uplink respectively, amapping between logical channels, transport channels, and physicalchannels. Information is passed through channels between the RLC, theMAC, and the PHY of the NR protocol stack. A logical channel may be usedbetween the RLC and the MAC and may be classified as a control channelthat carries control and configuration information in the NR controlplane or as a traffic channel that carries data in the NR user plane. Alogical channel may be classified as a dedicated logical channel that isdedicated to a specific UE or as a common logical channel that may beused by more than one UE. A logical channel may also be defined by thetype of information it carries. The set of logical channels defined byNR include, for example:

-   -   a paging control channel (PCCH) for carrying paging messages        used to page a UE whose location is not known to the network on        a cell level;    -   a broadcast control channel (BCCH) for carrying system        information messages in the form of a master information block        (MIB) and several system information blocks (SIBs), wherein the        system information messages may be used by the UEs to obtain        information about how a cell is configured and how to operate        within the cell;    -   a common control channel (CCCH) for carrying control messages        together with random access;    -   a dedicated control channel (DCCH) for carrying control messages        to/from a specific the UE to configure the UE; and    -   a dedicated traffic channel (DTCH) for carrying user data        to/from a specific the UE.

Transport channels are used between the MAC and PHY layers and may bedefined by how the information they carry is transmitted over the airinterface. The set of transport channels defined by NR include, forexample:

-   -   a paging channel (PCH) for carrying paging messages that        originated from the PCCH;    -   a broadcast channel (BCH) for carrying the MIB from the BCCH;    -   a downlink shared channel (DL-SCH) for carrying downlink data        and signaling messages, including the SIBs from the BCCH;    -   an uplink shared channel (UL-SCH) for carrying uplink data and        signaling messages; and    -   a random access channel (RACH) for allowing a UE to contact the        network without any prior scheduling.

The PHY may use physical channels to pass information between processinglevels of the PHY. A physical channel may have an associated set oftime-frequency resources for carrying the information of one or moretransport channels. The PHY may generate control information to supportthe low-level operation of the PHY and provide the control informationto the lower levels of the PHY via physical control channels, known asL1/L2 control channels. The set of physical channels and physicalcontrol channels defined by NR include, for example:

-   -   a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) for carrying the MIB from        the BCH;    -   a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) for carrying downlink        data and signaling messages from the DL-SCH, as well as paging        messages from the PCH;    -   a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) for carrying        downlink control information (DCI), which may include downlink        scheduling commands, uplink scheduling grants, and uplink power        control commands;    -   a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) for carrying uplink        data and signaling messages from the UL-SCH and in some        instances uplink control information (UCI) as described below;    -   a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) for carrying UCI,        which may include HARQ acknowledgments, channel quality        indicators (CQI), pre-coding matrix indicators (PMI), rank        indicators (RI), and scheduling requests (SR); and    -   a physical random access channel (PRACH) for random access.

Similar to the physical control channels, the physical layer generatesphysical signals to support the low-level operation of the physicallayer. As shown in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B, the physical layer signalsdefined by NR include: primary synchronization signals (PSS), secondarysynchronization signals (SSS), channel state information referencesignals (CSI-RS), demodulation reference signals (DMRS), soundingreference signals (SRS), and phase-tracking reference signals (PT-RS).These physical layer signals will be described in greater detail below.

FIG. 2B illustrates an example NR control plane protocol stack. As shownin FIG. 2B, the NR control plane protocol stack may use the same/similarfirst four protocol layers as the example NR user plane protocol stack.These four protocol layers include the PHYs 211 and 221, the MACs 212and 222, the RLCs 213 and 223, and the PDCPs 214 and 224. Instead ofhaving the SDAPs 215 and 225 at the top of the stack as in the NR userplane protocol stack, the NR control plane stack has radio resourcecontrols (RRCs) 216 and 226 and NAS protocols 217 and 237 at the top ofthe NR control plane protocol stack.

The NAS protocols 217 and 237 may provide control plane functionalitybetween the UE 210 and the AMF 230 (e.g., the AMF 158A) or, moregenerally, between the UE 210 and the CN. The NAS protocols 217 and 237may provide control plane functionality between the UE 210 and the AMF230 via signaling messages, referred to as NAS messages. There is nodirect path between the UE 210 and the AMF 230 through which the NASmessages can be transported. The NAS messages may be transported usingthe AS of the Uu and NG interfaces. NAS protocols 217 and 237 mayprovide control plane functionality such as authentication, security,connection setup, mobility management, and session management.

The RRCs 216 and 226 may provide control plane functionality between theUE 210 and the gNB 220 or, more generally, between the UE 210 and theRAN. The RRCs 216 and 226 may provide control plane functionalitybetween the UE 210 and the gNB 220 via signaling messages, referred toas RRC messages. RRC messages may be transmitted between the UE 210 andthe RAN using signaling radio bearers and the same/similar PDCP, RLC,MAC, and PHY protocol layers. The MAC may multiplex control-plane anduser-plane data into the same transport block (TB). The RRCs 216 and 226may provide control plane functionality such as: broadcast of systeminformation related to AS and NAS; paging initiated by the CN or theRAN; establishment, maintenance and release of an RRC connection betweenthe UE 210 and the RAN; security functions including key management;establishment, configuration, maintenance and release of signaling radiobearers and data radio bearers; mobility functions; QoS managementfunctions; the UE measurement reporting and control of the reporting;detection of and recovery from radio link failure (RLF); and/or NASmessage transfer. As part of establishing an RRC connection, RRCs 216and 226 may establish an RRC context, which may involve configuringparameters for communication between the UE 210 and the RAN.

FIG. 6 is an example diagram showing RRC state transitions of a UE. TheUE may be the same or similar to the wireless device 106 depicted inFIG. 1A, the UE 210 depicted in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, or any otherwireless device described in the present disclosure. As illustrated inFIG. 6 , a UE may be in at least one of three RRC states: RRC connected602 (e.g., RRC_CONNECTED), RRC idle 604 (e.g., RRC_IDLE), and RRCinactive 606 (e.g., RRC_INACTIVE).

In RRC connected 602, the UE has an established RRC context and may haveat least one RRC connection with a base station. The base station may besimilar to one of the one or more base stations included in the RAN 104depicted in FIG. 1A, one of the gNBs 160 or ng-eNBs 162 depicted in FIG.1B, the gNB 220 depicted in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, or any other basestation described in the present disclosure. The base station with whichthe UE is connected may have the RRC context for the UE. The RRCcontext, referred to as the UE context, may comprise parameters forcommunication between the UE and the base station. These parameters mayinclude, for example: one or more AS contexts; one or more radio linkconfiguration parameters; bearer configuration information (e.g.,relating to a data radio bearer, signaling radio bearer, logicalchannel, QoS flow, and/or PDU session); security information; and/orPHY, MAC, RLC, PDCP, and/or SDAP layer configuration information. Whilein RRC connected 602, mobility of the UE may be managed by the RAN(e.g., the RAN 104 or the NG-RAN 154). The UE may measure the signallevels (e.g., reference signal levels) from a serving cell andneighboring cells and report these measurements to the base stationcurrently serving the UE. The UE's serving base station may request ahandover to a cell of one of the neighboring base stations based on thereported measurements. The RRC state may transition from RRC connected602 to RRC idle 604 through a connection release procedure 608 or to RRCinactive 606 through a connection inactivation procedure 610.

In RRC idle 604, an RRC context may not be established for the UE. InRRC idle 604, the UE may not have an RRC connection with the basestation. While in RRC idle 604, the UE may be in a sleep state for themajority of the time (e.g., to conserve battery power). The UE may wakeup periodically (e.g., once in every discontinuous reception cycle) tomonitor for paging messages from the RAN. Mobility of the UE may bemanaged by the UE through a procedure known as cell reselection. The RRCstate may transition from RRC idle 604 to RRC connected 602 through aconnection establishment procedure 612, which may involve a randomaccess procedure as discussed in greater detail below.

In RRC inactive 606, the RRC context previously established ismaintained in the UE and the base station. This allows for a fasttransition to RRC connected 602 with reduced signaling overhead ascompared to the transition from RRC idle 604 to RRC connected 602. Whilein RRC inactive 606, the UE may be in a sleep state and mobility of theUE may be managed by the UE through cell reselection. The RRC state maytransition from RRC inactive 606 to RRC connected 602 through aconnection resume procedure 614 or to RRC idle 604 though a connectionrelease procedure 616 that may be the same as or similar to connectionrelease procedure 608.

An RRC state may be associated with a mobility management mechanism. InRRC idle 604 and RRC inactive 606, mobility is managed by the UE throughcell reselection. The purpose of mobility management in RRC idle 604 andRRC inactive 606 is to allow the network to be able to notify the UE ofan event via a paging message without having to broadcast the pagingmessage over the entire mobile communications network. The mobilitymanagement mechanism used in RRC idle 604 and RRC inactive 606 may allowthe network to track the UE on a cell-group level so that the pagingmessage may be broadcast over the cells of the cell group that the UEcurrently resides within instead of the entire mobile communicationnetwork. The mobility management mechanisms for RRC idle 604 and RRCinactive 606 track the UE on a cell-group level. They may do so usingdifferent granularities of grouping. For example, there may be threelevels of cell-grouping granularity: individual cells; cells within aRAN area identified by a RAN area identifier (RAI); and cells within agroup of RAN areas, referred to as a tracking area and identified by atracking area identifier (TAI).

Tracking areas may be used to track the UE at the CN level. The CN(e.g., the CN 102 or the 5G-CN 152) may provide the UE with a list ofTAIs associated with a UE registration area. If the UE moves, throughcell reselection, to a cell associated with a TAI not included in thelist of TAIs associated with the UE registration area, the UE mayperform a registration update with the CN to allow the CN to update theUE's location and provide the UE with a new the UE registration area.

RAN areas may be used to track the UE at the RAN level. For a UE in RRCinactive 606 state, the UE may be assigned a RAN notification area. ARAN notification area may comprise one or more cell identities, a listof RAIs, or a list of TAIs. In an example, a base station may belong toone or more RAN notification areas. In an example, a cell may belong toone or more RAN notification areas. If the UE moves, through cellreselection, to a cell not included in the RAN notification areaassigned to the UE, the UE may perform a notification area update withthe RAN to update the UE's RAN notification area.

A base station storing an RRC context for a UE or a last serving basestation of the

UE may be referred to as an anchor base station. An anchor base stationmay maintain an RRC context for the UE at least during a period of timethat the UE stays in a RAN notification area of the anchor base stationand/or during a period of time that the UE stays in RRC inactive 606.

A gNB, such as gNBs 160 in FIG. 1B, may be split in two parts: a centralunit (gNB-CU), and one or more distributed units (gNB-DU). A gNB-CU maybe coupled to one or more gNB-DUs using an F1 interface. The gNB-CU maycomprise the RRC, the PDCP, and the SDAP. A gNB-DU may comprise the RLC,the MAC, and the PHY.

In NR, the physical signals and physical channels (discussed withrespect to FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B) may be mapped onto orthogonal frequencydivisional multiplexing (OFDM) symbols. OFDM is a multicarriercommunication scheme that transmits data over F orthogonal subcarriers(or tones). Before transmission, the data may be mapped to a series ofcomplex symbols (e.g., M-quadrature amplitude modulation (M-QAM) orM-phase shift keying (M-PSK) symbols), referred to as source symbols,and divided into F parallel symbol streams. The F parallel symbolstreams may be treated as though they are in the frequency domain andused as inputs to an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) block thattransforms them into the time domain. The IFFT block may take in Fsource symbols at a time, one from each of the F parallel symbolstreams, and use each source symbol to modulate the amplitude and phaseof one of F sinusoidal basis functions that correspond to the Forthogonal subcarriers. The output of the IFFT block may be Ftime-domain samples that represent the summation of the F orthogonalsubcarriers. The F time-domain samples may form a single OFDM symbol.After some processing (e.g., addition of a cyclic prefix) andup-conversion, an OFDM symbol provided by the IFFT block may betransmitted over the air interface on a carrier frequency. The Fparallel symbol streams may be mixed using an FFT block before beingprocessed by the IFFT block. This operation produces Discrete FourierTransform (DFT)-precoded OFDM symbols and may be used by UEs in theuplink to reduce the peak to average power ratio (PAPR). Inverseprocessing may be performed on the OFDM symbol at a receiver using anFFT block to recover the data mapped to the source symbols.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example configuration of an NR frame into whichOFDM symbols are grouped. An NR frame may be identified by a systemframe number (SFN). The SFN may repeat with a period of 1024 frames. Asillustrated, one NR frame may be 10 milliseconds (ms) in duration andmay include 10 subframes that are 1 ms in duration. A subframe may bedivided into slots that include, for example, 14 OFDM symbols per slot.

The duration of a slot may depend on the numerology used for the OFDMsymbols of the slot. In NR, a flexible numerology is supported toaccommodate different cell deployments (e.g., cells with carrierfrequencies below 1 GHz up to cells with carrier frequencies in themm-wave range). A numerology may be defined in terms of subcarrierspacing and cyclic prefix duration. For a numerology in NR, subcarrierspacings may be scaled up by powers of two from a baseline subcarrierspacing of 15 kHz, and cyclic prefix durations may be scaled down bypowers of two from a baseline cyclic prefix duration of 4.7 μs. Forexample, NR defines numerologies with the following subcarrierspacing/cyclic prefix duration combinations: 15 kHz/4.7 μs; 30 kHz/2.3μs; 60 kHz/1.2 μs; 120 kHz/0.59 μs; and 240 kHz/0.29 μs.

A slot may have a fixed number of OFDM symbols (e.g., 14 OFDM symbols).A numerology with a higher subcarrier spacing has a shorter slotduration and, correspondingly, more slots per subframe. FIG. 7illustrates this numerology-dependent slot duration andslots-per-subframe transmission structure (the numerology with asubcarrier spacing of 240 kHz is not shown in FIG. 7 for ease ofillustration). A subframe in NR may be used as a numerology-independenttime reference, while a slot may be used as the unit upon which uplinkand downlink transmissions are scheduled. To support low latency,scheduling in NR may be decoupled from the slot duration and start atany OFDM symbol and last for as many symbols as needed for atransmission. These partial slot transmissions may be referred to asmini-slot or subslot transmissions.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example configuration of a slot in the time andfrequency domain for an NR carrier. The slot includes resource elements(REs) and resource blocks (RBs). An RE is the smallest physical resourcein NR. An RE spans one OFDM symbol in the time domain by one subcarrierin the frequency domain as shown in FIG. 8 . An RB spans twelveconsecutive REs in the frequency domain as shown in FIG. 8 . An NRcarrier may be limited to a width of 275 RBs or 275×12=3300 subcarriers.Such a limitation, if used, may limit the NR carrier to 50, 100, 200,and 400 MHz for subcarrier spacings of 15, 30, 60, and 120 kHz,respectively, where the 400 MHz bandwidth may be set based on a 400 MHzper carrier bandwidth limit.

FIG. 8 illustrates a single numerology being used across the entirebandwidth of the NR carrier. In other example configurations, multiplenumerologies may be supported on the same carrier.

NR may support wide carrier bandwidths (e.g., up to 400 MHz for asubcarrier spacing of 120 kHz). Not all UEs may be able to receive thefull carrier bandwidth (e.g., due to hardware limitations). Also,receiving the full carrier bandwidth may be prohibitive in terms of UEpower consumption. In an example, to reduce power consumption and/or forother purposes, a UE may adapt the size of the UE's receive bandwidthbased on the amount of traffic the UE is scheduled to receive. This isreferred to as bandwidth adaptation.

NR defines bandwidth parts (BWPs) to support UEs not capable ofreceiving the full carrier bandwidth and to support bandwidthadaptation. In an example, a BWP may be defined by a subset ofcontiguous RBs on a carrier. A UE may be configured (e.g., via RRClayer) with one or more downlink BWPs and one or more uplink BWPs perserving cell (e.g., up to four downlink BWPs and up to four uplink BWPsper serving cell). At a given time, one or more of the configured BWPsfor a serving cell may be active. These one or more BWPs may be referredto as active BWPs of the serving cell. When a serving cell is configuredwith a secondary uplink carrier, the serving cell may have one or morefirst active BWPs in the uplink carrier and one or more second activeBWPs in the secondary uplink carrier.

For unpaired spectra, a downlink BWP from a set of configured downlinkBWPs may be linked with an uplink BWP from a set of configured uplinkBWPs if a downlink BWP index of the downlink BWP and an uplink BWP indexof the uplink BWP are the same. For unpaired spectra, a UE may expectthat a center frequency for a downlink BWP is the same as a centerfrequency for an uplink BWP.

For a downlink BWP in a set of configured downlink BWPs on a primarycell (PCell), a base station may configure a UE with one or more controlresource sets (CORESETs) for at least one search space. A search spaceis a set of locations in the time and frequency domains where the UE mayfind control information. The search space may be a UE-specific searchspace or a common search space (potentially usable by a plurality ofUEs). For example, a base station may configure a UE with a commonsearch space, on a PCell or on a primary secondary cell (PSCell), in anactive downlink BWP.

For an uplink BWP in a set of configured uplink BWPs, a BS may configurea UE with one or more resource sets for one or more PUCCH transmissions.A UE may receive downlink receptions (e.g., PDCCH or PDSCH) in adownlink BWP according to a configured numerology (e.g., subcarrierspacing and cyclic prefix duration) for the downlink BWP. The UE maytransmit uplink transmissions (e.g., PUCCH or PUSCH) in an uplink BWPaccording to a configured numerology (e.g., subcarrier spacing andcyclic prefix length for the uplink BWP).

One or more BWP indicator fields may be provided in Downlink ControlInformation (DCI). A value of a BWP indicator field may indicate whichBWP in a set of configured BWPs is an active downlink BWP for one ormore downlink receptions. The value of the one or more BWP indicatorfields may indicate an active uplink BWP for one or more uplinktransmissions.

A base station may semi-statically configure a UE with a defaultdownlink BWP within a set of configured downlink BWPs associated with aPCell. If the base station does not provide the default downlink BWP tothe UE, the default downlink BWP may be an initial active downlink BWP.The UE may determine which BWP is the initial active downlink BWP basedon a CORESET configuration obtained using the PBCH.

A base station may configure a UE with a BWP inactivity timer value fora PCell.

The UE may start or restart a BWP inactivity timer at any appropriatetime. For example, the UE may start or restart the BWP inactivity timer(a) when the UE detects a DCI indicating an active downlink BWP otherthan a default downlink BWP for a paired spectra operation; or (b) whena UE detects a DCI indicating an active downlink BWP or active uplinkBWP other than a default downlink BWP or uplink BWP for an unpairedspectra operation. If the UE does not detect DCI during an interval oftime (e.g., 1 ms or 0.5 ms), the UE may run the BWP inactivity timertoward expiration (for example, increment from zero to the BWPinactivity timer value, or decrement from the BWP inactivity timer valueto zero). When the BWP inactivity timer expires, the UE may switch fromthe active downlink BWP to the default downlink BWP.

In an example, a base station may semi-statically configure a UE withone or more BWPs. A UE may switch an active BWP from a first BWP to asecond BWP in response to receiving a DCI indicating the second BWP asan active BWP and/or in response to an expiry of the BWP inactivitytimer (e.g., if the second BWP is the default BWP).

Downlink and uplink BWP switching (where BWP switching refers toswitching from a currently active BWP to a not currently active BWP) maybe performed independently in paired spectra. In unpaired spectra,downlink and uplink BWP switching may be performed simultaneously.Switching between configured BWPs may occur based on RRC signaling, DCI,expiration of a BWP inactivity timer, and/or an initiation of randomaccess.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example of bandwidth adaptation using threeconfigured BWPs for an NR carrier. A UE configured with the three BWPsmay switch from one BWP to another BWP at a switching point. In theexample illustrated in FIG. 9 , the BWPs include: a BWP 902 with abandwidth of 40 MHz and a subcarrier spacing of 15 kHz; a BWP 904 with abandwidth of 10 MHz and a subcarrier spacing of 15 kHz; and a BWP 906with a bandwidth of 20 MHz and a subcarrier spacing of 60 kHz. The BWP902 may be an initial active BWP, and the BWP 904 may be a default BWP.The UE may switch between BWPs at switching points. In the example ofFIG. 9 , the UE may switch from the BWP 902 to the BWP 904 at aswitching point 908. The switching at the switching point 908 may occurfor any suitable reason, for example, in response to an expiry of a BWPinactivity timer (indicating switching to the default BWP) and/or inresponse to receiving a DCI indicating BWP 904 as the active BWP. The UEmay switch at a switching point 910 from active BWP 904 to BWP 906 inresponse receiving a DCI indicating BWP 906 as the active BWP. The UEmay switch at a switching point 912 from active BWP 906 to BWP 904 inresponse to an expiry of a BWP inactivity timer and/or in responsereceiving a DCI indicating BWP 904 as the active BWP. The UE may switchat a switching point 914 from active BWP 904 to BWP 902 in responsereceiving a DCI indicating BWP 902 as the active BWP.

If a UE is configured for a secondary cell with a default downlink BWPin a set of configured downlink BWPs and a timer value, UE proceduresfor switching BWPs on a secondary cell may be the same/similar as thoseon a primary cell. For example, the UE may use the timer value and thedefault downlink BWP for the secondary cell in the same/similar manneras the UE would use these values for a primary cell.

To provide for greater data rates, two or more carriers can beaggregated and simultaneously transmitted to/from the same UE usingcarrier aggregation (CA). The aggregated carriers in CA may be referredto as component carriers (CCs). When CA is used, there are a number ofserving cells for the UE, one for a CC. The CCs may have threeconfigurations in the frequency domain.

FIG. 10A illustrates the three CA configurations with two CCs. In theintraband, contiguous configuration 1002, the two CCs are aggregated inthe same frequency band (frequency band A) and are located directlyadjacent to each other within the frequency band. In the intraband,non-contiguous configuration 1004, the two CCs are aggregated in thesame frequency band (frequency band A) and are separated in thefrequency band by a gap. In the interband configuration 1006, the twoCCs are located in frequency bands (frequency band A and frequency bandB).

In an example, up to 32 CCs may be aggregated. The aggregated CCs mayhave the same or different bandwidths, subcarrier spacing, and/orduplexing schemes (TDD or FDD). A serving cell for a UE using CA mayhave a downlink CC. For FDD, one or more uplink CCs may be optionallyconfigured for a serving cell. The ability to aggregate more downlinkcarriers than uplink carriers may be useful, for example, when the UEhas more data traffic in the downlink than in the uplink.

When CA is used, one of the aggregated cells for a UE may be referred toas a primary cell (PCell). The PCell may be the serving cell that the UEinitially connects to at RRC connection establishment, reestablishment,and/or handover. The PCell may provide the UE with NAS mobilityinformation and the security input. UEs may have different PCells. Inthe downlink, the carrier corresponding to the PCell may be referred toas the downlink primary CC (DL PCC). In the uplink, the carriercorresponding to the PCell may be referred to as the uplink primary CC(UL PCC). The other aggregated cells for the UE may be referred to assecondary cells (SCells). In an example, the SCells may be configuredafter the PCell is configured for the UE. For example, an SCell may beconfigured through an RRC Connection Reconfiguration procedure. In thedownlink, the carrier corresponding to an SCell may be referred to as adownlink secondary CC (DL SCC). In the uplink, the carrier correspondingto the SCell may be referred to as the uplink secondary CC (UL SCC).

Configured SCells for a UE may be activated and deactivated based on,for example, traffic and channel conditions. Deactivation of an SCellmay mean that PDCCH and PDSCH reception on the SCell is stopped andPUSCH, SRS, and CQI transmissions on the SCell are stopped. ConfiguredSCells may be activated and deactivated using a MAC CE with respect toFIG. 4B. For example, a MAC CE may use a bitmap (e.g., one bit perSCell) to indicate which SCells (e.g., in a subset of configured SCells)for the UE are activated or deactivated. Configured SCells may bedeactivated in response to an expiration of an SCell deactivation timer(e.g., one SCell deactivation timer per SCell).

Downlink control information, such as scheduling assignments andscheduling grants, for a cell may be transmitted on the cellcorresponding to the assignments and grants, which is known asself-scheduling. The DCI for the cell may be transmitted on anothercell, which is known as cross-carrier scheduling. Uplink controlinformation (e.g., HARQ acknowledgments and channel state feedback, suchas CQI, PMI, and/or RI) for aggregated cells may be transmitted on thePUCCH of the PCell. For a larger number of aggregated downlink CCs, thePUCCH of the PCell may become overloaded. Cells may be divided intomultiple PUCCH groups.

FIG. 10B illustrates an example of how aggregated cells may beconfigured into one or more PUCCH groups. A PUCCH group 1010 and a PUCCHgroup 1050 may include one or more downlink CCs, respectively. In theexample of FIG. 10B, the PUCCH group 1010 includes three downlink CCs: aPCell 1011, an SCell 1012, and an SCell 1013. The PUCCH group 1050includes three downlink CCs in the present example: a PCell 1051, anSCell 1052, and an SCell 1053. One or more uplink CCs may be configuredas a PCell 1021, an SCell 1022, and an SCell 1023. One or more otheruplink CCs may be configured as a primary Scell (PSCell) 1061, an SCell1062, and an SCell 1063. Uplink control information (UCI) related to thedownlink CCs of the PUCCH group 1010, shown as UCI 1031, UCI 1032, andUCI 1033, may be transmitted in the uplink of the PCell 1021. Uplinkcontrol information (UCI) related to the downlink CCs of the PUCCH group1050, shown as UCI 1071, UCI 1072, and UCI 1073, may be transmitted inthe uplink of the PSCell 1061. In an example, if the aggregated cellsdepicted in FIG. 10B were not divided into the PUCCH group 1010 and thePUCCH group 1050, a single uplink PCell to transmit UCI relating to thedownlink CCs, and the PCell may become overloaded. By dividingtransmissions of UCI between the PCell 1021 and the PSCell 1061,overloading may be prevented.

A cell, comprising a downlink carrier and optionally an uplink carrier,may be assigned with a physical cell ID and a cell index. The physicalcell ID or the cell index may identify a downlink carrier and/or anuplink carrier of the cell, for example, depending on the context inwhich the physical cell ID is used. A physical cell ID may be determinedusing a synchronization signal transmitted on a downlink componentcarrier. A cell index may be determined using RRC messages. In thedisclosure, a physical cell ID may be referred to as a carrier ID, and acell index may be referred to as a carrier index. For example, when thedisclosure refers to a first physical cell ID for a first downlinkcarrier, the disclosure may mean the first physical cell ID is for acell comprising the first downlink carrier. The same/similar concept mayapply to, for example, a carrier activation. When the disclosureindicates that a first carrier is activated, the specification may meanthat a cell comprising the first carrier is activated.

In CA, a multi-carrier nature of a PHY may be exposed to a MAC. In anexample, a

HARQ entity may operate on a serving cell. A transport block may begenerated per assignment/grant per serving cell. A transport block andpotential HARQ retransmissions of the transport block may be mapped to aserving cell.

In the downlink, a base station may transmit (e.g., unicast, multicast,and/or broadcast) one or more Reference Signals (RSs) to a UE (e.g.,PSS, SSS, CSI-RS, DMRS, and/or PT-RS, as shown in FIG. 5A). In theuplink, the UE may transmit one or more RSs to the base station (e.g.,DMRS, PT-RS, and/or SRS, as shown in FIG. 5B). The PSS and the SSS maybe transmitted by the base station and used by the UE to synchronize theUE to the base station. The PSS and the SSS may be provided in asynchronization signal (SS)/physical broadcast channel (PBCH) block thatincludes the PSS, the SSS, and the PBCH. The base station mayperiodically transmit a burst of SS/PBCH blocks.

FIG. 11A illustrates an example of an SS/PBCH block's structure andlocation. A burst of SS/PBCH blocks may include one or more SS/PBCHblocks (e.g., 4 SS/PBCH blocks, as shown in FIG. 11A). Bursts may betransmitted periodically (e.g., every 2 frames or 20 ms). A burst may berestricted to a half-frame (e.g., a first half-frame having a durationof 5 ms). It will be understood that FIG. 11A is an example, and thatthese parameters (number of SS/PBCH blocks per burst, periodicity ofbursts, position of burst within the frame) may be configured based on,for example: a carrier frequency of a cell in which the SS/PBCH block istransmitted; a numerology or subcarrier spacing of the cell; aconfiguration by the network (e.g., using RRC signaling); or any othersuitable factor. In an example, the UE may assume a subcarrier spacingfor the SS/PBCH block based on the carrier frequency being monitored,unless the radio network configured the UE to assume a differentsubcarrier spacing.

The SS/PBCH block may span one or more OFDM symbols in the time domain(e.g., 4 OFDM symbols, as shown in the example of FIG. 11A) and may spanone or more subcarriers in the frequency domain (e.g., 240 contiguoussubcarriers). The PSS, the SSS, and the PBCH may have a common centerfrequency. The PSS may be transmitted first and may span, for example, 1OFDM symbol and 127 subcarriers. The SSS may be transmitted after thePSS (e.g., two symbols later) and may span 1 OFDM symbol and 127subcarriers. The PBCH may be transmitted after the PSS (e.g., across thenext 3 OFDM symbols) and may span 240 subcarriers.

The location of the SS/PBCH block in the time and frequency domains maynot be known to the UE (e.g., if the UE is searching for the cell). Tofind and select the cell, the UE may monitor a carrier for the PSS. Forexample, the UE may monitor a frequency location within the carrier. Ifthe PSS is not found after a certain duration (e.g., 20 ms), the UE maysearch for the PSS at a different frequency location within the carrier,as indicated by a synchronization raster. If the PSS is found at alocation in the time and frequency domains, the UE may determine, basedon a known structure of the SS/PBCH block, the locations of the SSS andthe PBCH, respectively. The SS/PBCH block may be a cell-defining SSblock (CD-SSB). In an example, a primary cell may be associated with aCD-SSB. The CD-SSB may be located on a synchronization raster. In anexample, a cell selection/search and/or reselection may be based on theCD-SSB.

The SS/PBCH block may be used by the UE to determine one or moreparameters of the cell. For example, the UE may determine a physicalcell identifier (PCI) of the cell based on the sequences of the PSS andthe SSS, respectively. The UE may determine a location of a frameboundary of the cell based on the location of the SS/PBCH block. Forexample, the SS/PBCH block may indicate that it has been transmitted inaccordance with a transmission pattern, wherein a SS/PBCH block in thetransmission pattern is a known distance from the frame boundary.

The PBCH may use a QPSK modulation and may use forward error correction(FEC). The FEC may use polar coding. One or more symbols spanned by thePBCH may carry one or more DMRSs for demodulation of the PBCH. The PBCHmay include an indication of a current system frame number (SFN) of thecell and/or a SS/PBCH block timing index. These parameters mayfacilitate time synchronization of the UE to the base station. The PBCHmay include a master information block (MIB) used to provide the UE withone or more parameters. The MIB may be used by the UE to locateremaining minimum system information (RMSI) associated with the cell.The RMSI may include a System Information Block Type 1 (SIB1). The SIB1may contain information needed by the UE to access the cell. The UE mayuse one or more parameters of the MIB to monitor PDCCH, which may beused to schedule PDSCH. The PDSCH may include the SIB1. The SIB1 may bedecoded using parameters provided in the MIB. The PBCH may indicate anabsence of SIB1. Based on the PBCH indicating the absence of SIB1, theUE may be pointed to a frequency. The UE may search for an SS/PBCH blockat the frequency to which the UE is pointed.

The UE may assume that one or more SS/PBCH blocks transmitted with asame SS/PBCH block index are quasi co-located (QCLed) (e.g., having thesame/similar Doppler spread, Doppler shift, average gain, average delay,and/or spatial Rx parameters). The UE may not assume QCL for SS/PBCHblock transmissions having different SS/PBCH block indices.

SS/PBCH blocks (e.g., those within a half-frame) may be transmitted inspatial directions (e.g., using different beams that span a coveragearea of the cell). In an example, a first SS/PBCH block may betransmitted in a first spatial direction using a first beam, and asecond SS/PBCH block may be transmitted in a second spatial directionusing a second beam.

In an example, within a frequency span of a carrier, a base station maytransmit a plurality of SS/PBCH blocks. In an example, a first PCI of afirst SS/PBCH block of the plurality of SS/PBCH blocks may be differentfrom a second PCI of a second SS/PBCH block of the plurality of SS/PBCHblocks. The PCIs of SS/PBCH blocks transmitted in different frequencylocations may be different or the same.

The CSI-RS may be transmitted by the base station and used by the UE toacquire channel state information (CSI). The base station may configurethe UE with one or more CSI-RSs for channel estimation or any othersuitable purpose. The base station may configure a UE with one or moreof the same/similar CSI-RSs. The UE may measure the one or more CSI-RSs.The UE may estimate a downlink channel state and/or generate a CSIreport based on the measuring of the one or more downlink CSI-RSs. TheUE may provide the CSI report to the base station. The base station mayuse feedback provided by the UE (e.g., the estimated downlink channelstate) to perform link adaptation.

The base station may semi-statically configure the UE with one or moreCSI-RS resource sets. A CSI-RS resource may be associated with alocation in the time and frequency domains and a periodicity. The basestation may selectively activate and/or deactivate a CSI-RS resource.The base station may indicate to the UE that a CSI-RS resource in theCSI-RS resource set is activated and/or deactivated.

The base station may configure the UE to report CSI measurements. Thebase station may configure the UE to provide CSI reports periodically,aperiodically, or semi-persistently. For periodic CSI reporting, the UEmay be configured with a timing and/or periodicity of a plurality of CSIreports. For aperiodic CSI reporting, the base station may request a CSIreport. For example, the base station may command the UE to measure aconfigured CSI-RS resource and provide a CSI report relating to themeasurements. For semi-persistent CSI reporting, the base station mayconfigure the UE to transmit periodically, and selectively activate ordeactivate the periodic reporting. The base station may configure the UEwith a CSI-RS resource set and CSI reports using RRC signaling.

The CSI-RS configuration may comprise one or more parameters indicating,for example, up to 32 antenna ports. The UE may be configured to employthe same OFDM symbols for a downlink CSI-RS and a control resource set(CORESET) when the downlink CSI-RS and CORESET are spatially QCLed andresource elements associated with the downlink CSI-RS are outside of thephysical resource blocks (PRBs) configured for the CORESET. The UE maybe configured to employ the same OFDM symbols for downlink CSI-RS andSS/PBCH blocks when the downlink CSI-RS and SS/PBCH blocks are spatiallyQCLed and resource elements associated with the downlink CSI-RS areoutside of PRBs configured for the SS/PBCH blocks.

Downlink DMRSs may be transmitted by a base station and used by a UE forchannel estimation. For example, the downlink DMRS may be used forcoherent demodulation of one or more downlink physical channels (e.g.,PDSCH). An NR network may support one or more variable and/orconfigurable DMRS patterns for data demodulation. At least one downlinkDMRS configuration may support a front-loaded DMRS pattern. Afront-loaded DMRS may be mapped over one or more OFDM symbols (e.g., oneor two adjacent OFDM symbols). A base station may semi-staticallyconfigure the UE with a number (e.g. a maximum number) of front-loadedDMRS symbols for PDSCH. A DMRS configuration may support one or moreDMRS ports. For example, for single user-MIMO, a DMRS configuration maysupport up to eight orthogonal downlink DMRS ports per UE. Formultiuser-MIMO, a DMRS configuration may support up to 4 orthogonaldownlink DMRS ports per UE. A radio network may support (e.g., at leastfor CP-OFDM) a common DMRS structure for downlink and uplink, wherein aDMRS location, a DMRS pattern, and/or a scrambling sequence may be thesame or different. The base station may transmit a downlink DMRS and acorresponding PDSCH using the same precoding matrix. The UE may use theone or more downlink DMRSs for coherent demodulation/channel estimationof the PDSCH.

In an example, a transmitter (e.g., a base station) may use a precodermatrices for a part of a transmission bandwidth. For example, thetransmitter may use a first precoder matrix for a first bandwidth and asecond precoder matrix for a second bandwidth. The first precoder matrixand the second precoder matrix may be different based on the firstbandwidth being different from the second bandwidth. The UE may assumethat a same precoding matrix is used across a set of PRBs. The set ofPRBs may be denoted as a precoding resource block group (PRG).

A PDSCH may comprise one or more layers. The UE may assume that at leastone symbol with DMRS is present on a layer of the one or more layers ofthe PDSCH. A higher layer may configure up to 3 DMRSs for the PDSCH.

Downlink PT-RS may be transmitted by a base station and used by a UE forphase-noise compensation. Whether a downlink PT-RS is present or not maydepend on an RRC configuration. The presence and/or pattern of thedownlink PT-RS may be configured on a UE-specific basis using acombination of RRC signaling and/or an association with one or moreparameters employed for other purposes (e.g., modulation and codingscheme (MCS)), which may be indicated by DCI. When configured, a dynamicpresence of a downlink PT-RS may be associated with one or more DCIparameters comprising at least MCS. An NR network may support aplurality of PT-RS densities defined in the time and/or frequencydomains. When present, a frequency domain density may be associated withat least one configuration of a scheduled bandwidth. The UE may assume asame precoding for a DMRS port and a PT-RS port. A number of PT-RS portsmay be fewer than a number of DMRS ports in a scheduled resource.Downlink PT-RS may be confined in the scheduled time/frequency durationfor the UE. Downlink PT-RS may be transmitted on symbols to facilitatephase tracking at the receiver.

The UE may transmit an uplink DMRS to a base station for channelestimation. For example, the base station may use the uplink DMRS forcoherent demodulation of one or more uplink physical channels. Forexample, the UE may transmit an uplink DMRS with a PUSCH and/or a PUCCH.The uplink DM-RS may span a range of frequencies that is similar to arange of frequencies associated with the corresponding physical channel.The base station may configure the UE with one or more uplink DMRSconfigurations. At least one DMRS configuration may support afront-loaded DMRS pattern. The front-loaded DMRS may be mapped over oneor more OFDM symbols (e.g., one or two adjacent OFDM symbols). One ormore uplink DMRSs may be configured to transmit at one or more symbolsof a PUSCH and/or a PUCCH. The base station may semi-staticallyconfigure the UE with a number (e.g. maximum number) of front-loadedDMRS symbols for the PUSCH and/or the PUCCH, which the UE may use toschedule a single-symbol DMRS and/or a double-symbol DMRS. An NR networkmay support (e.g., for cyclic prefix orthogonal frequency divisionmultiplexing (CP-OFDM)) a common DMRS structure for downlink and uplink,wherein a DMRS location, a DMRS pattern, and/or a scrambling sequencefor the DMRS may be the same or different.

A PUSCH may comprise one or more layers, and the UE may transmit atleast one symbol with DMRS present on a layer of the one or more layersof the PUSCH. In an example, a higher layer may configure up to threeDMRSs for the PUSCH.

Uplink PT-RS (which may be used by a base station for phase trackingand/or phase-noise compensation) may or may not be present depending onan RRC configuration of the UE. The presence and/or pattern of uplinkPT-RS may be configured on a UE-specific basis by a combination of RRCsignaling and/or one or more parameters employed for other purposes(e.g., Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS)), which may be indicated byDCI. When configured, a dynamic presence of uplink PT-RS may beassociated with one or more DCI parameters comprising at least MCS. Aradio network may support a plurality of uplink PT-RS densities definedin time/frequency domain. When present, a frequency domain density maybe associated with at least one configuration of a scheduled bandwidth.The UE may assume a same precoding for a DMRS port and a PT-RS port. Anumber of PT-RS ports may be fewer than a number of DMRS ports in ascheduled resource. For example, uplink PT-RS may be confined in thescheduled time/frequency duration for the UE.

SRS may be transmitted by a UE to a base station for channel stateestimation to support uplink channel dependent scheduling and/or linkadaptation. SRS transmitted by the UE may allow a base station toestimate an uplink channel state at one or more frequencies. A schedulerat the base station may employ the estimated uplink channel state toassign one or more resource blocks for an uplink PUSCH transmission fromthe UE. The base station may semi-statically configure the UE with oneor more SRS resource sets. For an SRS resource set, the base station mayconfigure the UE with one or more SRS resources. An SRS resource setapplicability may be configured by a higher layer (e.g., RRC) parameter.For example, when a higher layer parameter indicates beam management, anSRS resource in a SRS resource set of the one or more SRS resource sets(e.g., with the same/similar time domain behavior, periodic, aperiodic,and/or the like) may be transmitted at a time instant (e.g.,simultaneously). The UE may transmit one or more SRS resources in SRSresource sets. An NR network may support aperiodic, periodic and/orsemi-persistent SRS transmissions. The UE may transmit SRS resourcesbased on one or more trigger types, wherein the one or more triggertypes may comprise higher layer signaling (e.g., RRC) and/or one or moreDCI formats. In an example, at least one DCI format may be employed forthe UE to select at least one of one or more configured SRS resourcesets. An SRS trigger type 0 may refer to an SRS triggered based on ahigher layer signaling. An SRS trigger type 1 may refer to an SRStriggered based on one or more DCI formats. In an example, when PUSCHand SRS are transmitted in a same slot, the UE may be configured totransmit SRS after a transmission of a PUSCH and a corresponding uplinkDMRS.

The base station may semi-statically configure the UE with one or moreSRS configuration parameters indicating at least one of following: a SRSresource configuration identifier; a number of SRS ports; time domainbehavior of an SRS resource configuration (e.g., an indication ofperiodic, semi-persistent, or aperiodic SRS); slot, mini-slot, and/orsubframe level periodicity; offset for a periodic and/or an aperiodicSRS resource; a number of OFDM symbols in an SRS resource; a startingOFDM symbol of an SRS resource; an SRS bandwidth; a frequency hoppingbandwidth; a cyclic shift; and/or an SRS sequence ID.

An antenna port is defined such that the channel over which a symbol onthe antenna port is conveyed can be inferred from the channel over whichanother symbol on the same antenna port is conveyed. If a first symboland a second symbol are transmitted on the same antenna port, thereceiver may infer the channel (e.g., fading gain, multipath delay,and/or the like) for conveying the second symbol on the antenna port,from the channel for conveying the first symbol on the antenna port. Afirst antenna port and a second antenna port may be referred to as quasico-located (QCLed) if one or more large-scale properties of the channelover which a first symbol on the first antenna port is conveyed may beinferred from the channel over which a second symbol on a second antennaport is conveyed. The one or more large-scale properties may comprise atleast one of: a delay spread; a Doppler spread; a Doppler shift; anaverage gain; an average delay; and/or spatial Receiving (Rx)parameters.

Channels that use beamforming require beam management. Beam managementmay comprise beam measurement, beam selection, and beam indication. Abeam may be associated with one or more reference signals. For example,a beam may be identified by one or more beamformed reference signals.The UE may perform downlink beam measurement based on downlink referencesignals (e.g., a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS))and generate a beam measurement report. The UE may perform the downlinkbeam measurement procedure after an RRC connection is set up with a basestation.

FIG. 11B illustrates an example of channel state information referencesignals (CSI-RSs) that are mapped in the time and frequency domains. Asquare shown in FIG. 11B may span a resource block (RB) within abandwidth of a cell. A base station may transmit one or more RRCmessages comprising CSI-RS resource configuration parameters indicatingone or more CSI-RSs. One or more of the following parameters may beconfigured by higher layer signaling (e.g., RRC and/or MAC signaling)for a CSI-RS resource configuration: a CSI-RS resource configurationidentity, a number of CSI-RS ports, a CSI-RS configuration (e.g., symboland resource element (RE) locations in a subframe), a CSI-RS subframeconfiguration (e.g., subframe location, offset, and periodicity in aradio frame), a CSI-RS power parameter, a CSI-RS sequence parameter, acode division multiplexing (CDM) type parameter, a frequency density, atransmission comb, quasi co-location (QCL) parameters (e.g.,QCL-scramblingidentity, crs-portscount, mbsfn-subframeconfiglist,csi-rs-configZPid, qcl-csi-rs-configNZPid), and/or other radio resourceparameters.

The three beams illustrated in FIG. 11B may be configured for a UE in aUE-specific configuration. Three beams are illustrated in FIG. 11B (beam#1, beam #2, and beam #3), more or fewer beams may be configured. Beam#1 may be allocated with CSI-RS 1101 that may be transmitted in one ormore subcarriers in an RB of a first symbol. Beam #2 may be allocatedwith CSI-RS 1102 that may be transmitted in one or more subcarriers inan RB of a second symbol. Beam #3 may be allocated with CSI-RS 1103 thatmay be transmitted in one or more subcarriers in an RB of a thirdsymbol. By using frequency division multiplexing (FDM), a base stationmay use other subcarriers in a same RB (for example, those that are notused to transmit CSI-RS 1101) to transmit another CSI-RS associated witha beam for another UE. By using time domain multiplexing (TDM), beamsused for the UE may be configured such that beams for the UE use symbolsfrom beams of other UEs.

CSI-RSs such as those illustrated in FIG. 11B (e.g., CSI-RS 1101, 1102,1103) may be transmitted by the base station and used by the UE for oneor more measurements. For example, the UE may measure a reference signalreceived power (RSRP) of configured CSI-RS resources. The base stationmay configure the UE with a reporting configuration and the UE mayreport the RSRP measurements to a network (for example, via one or morebase stations) based on the reporting configuration. In an example, thebase station may determine, based on the reported measurement results,one or more transmission configuration indication (TCI) statescomprising a number of reference signals. In an example, the basestation may indicate one or more TCI states to the UE (e.g., via RRCsignaling, a MAC CE, and/or a DCI). The UE may receive a downlinktransmission with a receive (Rx) beam determined based on the one ormore TCI states. In an example, the UE may or may not have a capabilityof beam correspondence. If the UE has the capability of beamcorrespondence, the UE may determine a spatial domain filter of atransmit (Tx) beam based on a spatial domain filter of the correspondingRx beam. If the UE does not have the capability of beam correspondence,the UE may perform an uplink beam selection procedure to determine thespatial domain filter of the Tx beam. The UE may perform the uplink beamselection procedure based on one or more sounding reference signal (SRS)resources configured to the UE by the base station. The base station mayselect and indicate uplink beams for the UE based on measurements of theone or more SRS resources transmitted by the UE.

In a beam management procedure, a UE may assess (e.g., measure) achannel quality of one or more beam pair links, a beam pair linkcomprising a transmitting beam transmitted by a base station and areceiving beam received by the UE. Based on the assessment, the UE maytransmit a beam measurement report indicating one or more beam pairquality parameters comprising, e.g., one or more beam identifications(e.g., a beam index, a reference signal index, or the like), RSRP, aprecoding matrix indicator (PMI), a channel quality indicator (CQI),and/or a rank indicator (RI).

FIG. 12A illustrates examples of three downlink beam managementprocedures: P1, P2, and P3. Procedure P1 may enable a UE measurement ontransmit (Tx) beams of a transmission reception point (TRP) (or multipleTRPs), e.g., to support a selection of one or more base station Tx beamsand/or UE Rx beams (shown as ovals in the top row and bottom row,respectively, of P1). Beamforming at a TRP may comprise a Tx beam sweepfor a set of beams (shown, in the top rows of P1 and P2, as ovalsrotated in a counter-clockwise direction indicated by the dashed arrow).Beamforming at a UE may comprise an Rx beam sweep for a set of beams(shown, in the bottom rows of P1 and P3, as ovals rotated in a clockwisedirection indicated by the dashed arrow). Procedure P2 may be used toenable a UE measurement on Tx beams of a TRP (shown, in the top row ofP2, as ovals rotated in a counter-clockwise direction indicated by thedashed arrow). The UE and/or the base station may perform procedure P2using a smaller set of beams than is used in procedure P1, or usingnarrower beams than the beams used in procedure P1. This may be referredto as beam refinement. The UE may perform procedure P3 for Rx beamdetermination by using the same Tx beam at the base station and sweepingan Rx beam at the UE.

FIG. 12B illustrates examples of three uplink beam managementprocedures: U1, U2, and U3. Procedure U1 may be used to enable a basestation to perform a measurement on Tx beams of a UE, e.g., to support aselection of one or more UE Tx beams and/or base station Rx beams (shownas ovals in the top row and bottom row, respectively, of U1).Beamforming at the UE may include, e.g., a Tx beam sweep from a set ofbeams (shown in the bottom rows of U1 and U3 as ovals rotated in aclockwise direction indicated by the dashed arrow). Beamforming at thebase station may include, e.g., an Rx beam sweep from a set of beams(shown, in the top rows of U1 and U2, as ovals rotated in acounter-clockwise direction indicated by the dashed arrow). Procedure U2may be used to enable the base station to adjust its Rx beam when the UEuses a fixed Tx beam. The UE and/or the base station may performprocedure U2 using a smaller set of beams than is used in procedure P1,or using narrower beams than the beams used in procedure P1. This may bereferred to as beam refinement The UE may perform procedure U3 to adjustits Tx beam when the base station uses a fixed Rx beam.

A UE may initiate a beam failure recovery (BFR) procedure based ondetecting a beam failure. The UE may transmit a BFR request (e.g., apreamble, a UCI, an SR, a MAC CE, and/or the like) based on theinitiating of the BFR procedure. The UE may detect the beam failurebased on a determination that a quality of beam pair link(s) of anassociated control channel is unsatisfactory (e.g., having an error ratehigher than an error rate threshold, a received signal power lower thana received signal power threshold, an expiration of a timer, and/or thelike).

The UE may measure a quality of a beam pair link using one or morereference signals (RSs) comprising one or more SS/PBCH blocks, one ormore CSI-RS resources, and/or one or more demodulation reference signals(DMRSs). A quality of the beam pair link may be based on one or more ofa block error rate (BLER), an RSRP value, a signal to interference plusnoise ratio (SINR) value, a reference signal received quality (RSRQ)value, and/or a CSI value measured on RS resources. The base station mayindicate that an RS resource is quasi co-located (QCLed) with one ormore DM-RSs of a channel (e.g., a control channel, a shared datachannel, and/or the like). The RS resource and the one or more DMRSs ofthe channel may be QCLed when the channel characteristics (e.g., Dopplershift, Doppler spread, average delay, delay spread, spatial Rxparameter, fading, and/or the like) from a transmission via the RSresource to the UE are similar or the same as the channelcharacteristics from a transmission via the channel to the UE.

A network (e.g., a gNB and/or an ng-eNB of a network) and/or the UE mayinitiate a random access procedure. A UE in an RRC_IDLE state and/or anRRC_INACTIVE state may initiate the random access procedure to request aconnection setup to a network. The UE may initiate the random accessprocedure from an RRC_CONNECTED state. The UE may initiate the randomaccess procedure to request uplink resources (e.g., for uplinktransmission of an SR when there is no PUCCH resource available) and/oracquire uplink timing (e.g., when uplink synchronization status isnon-synchronized). The UE may initiate the random access procedure torequest one or more system information blocks (SIBs) (e.g., other systeminformation such as SIB2, SIB3, and/or the like). The UE may initiatethe random access procedure for a beam failure recovery request. Anetwork may initiate a random access procedure for a handover and/or forestablishing time alignment for an SCell addition.

FIG. 13A illustrates a four-step contention-based random accessprocedure. Prior to initiation of the procedure, a base station maytransmit a configuration message 1310 to the UE. The procedureillustrated in FIG. 13A comprises transmission of four messages: a Msg 11311, a Msg 2 1312, a Msg 3 1313, and a Msg 4 1314. The Msg 1 1311 mayinclude and/or be referred to as a preamble (or a random accesspreamble). The Msg 2 1312 may include and/or be referred to as a randomaccess response (RAR).

The configuration message 1310 may be transmitted, for example, usingone or more

RRC messages. The one or more RRC messages may indicate one or morerandom access channel (RACH) parameters to the UE. The one or more RACHparameters may comprise at least one of following: general parametersfor one or more random access procedures (e.g., RACH-configGeneral);cell-specific parameters (e.g., RACH-ConfigCommon); and/or dedicatedparameters (e.g., RACH-configDedicated). The base station may broadcastor multicast the one or more RRC messages to one or more UEs. The one ormore RRC messages may be UE-specific (e.g., dedicated RRC messagestransmitted to a UE in an RRC_CONNECTED state and/or in an RRC_INACTIVEstate). The UE may determine, based on the one or more RACH parameters,a time-frequency resource and/or an uplink transmit power fortransmission of the Msg 1 1311 and/or the Msg 3 1313. Based on the oneor more RACH parameters, the UE may determine a reception timing and adownlink channel for receiving the Msg 2 1312 and the Msg 4 1314.

The one or more RACH parameters provided in the configuration message1310 may indicate one or more Physical RACH (PRACH) occasions availablefor transmission of the Msg 1 1311. The one or more PRACH occasions maybe predefined. The one or more RACH parameters may indicate one or moreavailable sets of one or more PRACH occasions (e.g., prach-ConfigIndex).The one or more RACH parameters may indicate an association between (a)one or more PRACH occasions and (b) one or more reference signals. Theone or more RACH parameters may indicate an association between (a) oneor more preambles and (b) one or more reference signals. The one or morereference signals may be SS/PBCH blocks and/or CSI-RSs. For example, theone or more RACH parameters may indicate a number of SS/PBCH blocksmapped to a PRACH occasion and/or a number of preambles mapped to aSS/PBCH blocks.

The one or more RACH parameters provided in the configuration message1310 may be used to determine an uplink transmit power of Msg 1 1311and/or Msg 3 1313. For example, the one or more RACH parameters mayindicate a reference power for a preamble transmission (e.g., a receivedtarget power and/or an initial power of the preamble transmission).There may be one or more power offsets indicated by the one or more RACHparameters. For example, the one or more RACH parameters may indicate: apower ramping step; a power offset between SSB and CSI-RS; a poweroffset between transmissions of the Msg 1 1311 and the Msg 3 1313;and/or a power offset value between preamble groups. The one or moreRACH parameters may indicate one or more thresholds based on which theUE may determine at least one reference signal (e.g., an SSB and/orCSI-RS) and/or an uplink carrier (e.g., a normal uplink (NUL) carrierand/or a supplemental uplink (SUL) carrier).

The Msg 1 1311 may include one or more preamble transmissions (e.g., apreamble transmission and one or more preamble retransmissions). An RRCmessage may be used to configure one or more preamble groups (e.g.,group A and/or group B). A preamble group may comprise one or morepreambles. The UE may determine the preamble group based on a pathlossmeasurement and/or a size of the Msg 3 1313. The UE may measure an RSRPof one or more reference signals (e.g., SSBs and/or CSI-RSs) anddetermine at least one reference signal having an RSRP above an RSRPthreshold (e.g., rsrp-ThresholdSSB and/or rsrp-ThresholdCSl-RS). The UEmay select at least one preamble associated with the one or morereference signals and/or a selected preamble group, for example, if theassociation between the one or more preambles and the at least onereference signal is configured by an RRC message.

The UE may determine the preamble based on the one or more RACHparameters provided in the configuration message 1310. For example, theUE may determine the preamble based on a pathloss measurement, an RSRPmeasurement, and/or a size of the Msg 3 1313. As another example, theone or more RACH parameters may indicate: a preamble format; a maximumnumber of preamble transmissions; and/or one or more thresholds fordetermining one or more preamble groups (e.g., group A and group B). Abase station may use the one or more RACH parameters to configure the UEwith an association between one or more preambles and one or morereference signals (e.g., SSBs and/or CSI-RSs). If the association isconfigured, the UE may determine the preamble to include in Msg 1 1311based on the association. The Msg 1 1311 may be transmitted to the basestation via one or more PRACH occasions. The UE may use one or morereference signals (e.g., SSBs and/or CSI-RSs) for selection of thepreamble and for determining of the PRACH occasion. One or more RACHparameters (e.g., ra-ssb-OccasionMskIndex and/or ra-OccasionList) mayindicate an association between the PRACH occasions and the one or morereference signals.

The UE may perform a preamble retransmission if no response is receivedfollowing a preamble transmission. The UE may increase an uplinktransmit power for the preamble retransmission. The UE may select aninitial preamble transmit power based on a pathloss measurement and/or atarget received preamble power configured by the network. The UE maydetermine to retransmit a preamble and may ramp up the uplink transmitpower. The UE may receive one or more RACH parameters (e.g.,PREAMBLE_POWER_RAMPING_STEP) indicating a ramping step for the preambleretransmission. The ramping step may be an amount of incrementalincrease in uplink transmit power for a retransmission. The UE may rampup the uplink transmit power if the UE determines a reference signal(e.g., SSB and/or CSI-RS) that is the same as a previous preambletransmission. The UE may count a number of preamble transmissions and/orretransmissions (e.g., PREAMBLE_TRANSMISSION_COUNTER). The UE maydetermine that a random access procedure completed unsuccessfully, forexample, if the number of preamble transmissions exceeds a thresholdconfigured by the one or more RACH parameters (e.g., preambleTransMax).

The Msg 2 1312 received by the UE may include an RAR. In some scenarios,the Msg 2 1312 may include multiple RARs corresponding to multiple UEs.The Msg 2 1312 may be received after or in response to the transmittingof the Msg 1 1311. The Msg 2 1312 may be scheduled on the DL-SCH andindicated on a PDCCH using a random access RNTI (RA-RNTI). The Msg 21312 may indicate that the Msg 1 1311 was received by the base station.The Msg 2 1312 may include a time-alignment command that may be used bythe UE to adjust the UE's transmission timing, a scheduling grant fortransmission of the Msg 3 1313, and/or a Temporary Cell RNTI (TC-RNTI).After transmitting a preamble, the UE may start a time window (e.g.,ra-ResponseWindow) to monitor a PDCCH for the Msg 2 1312. The UE maydetermine when to start the time window based on a PRACH occasion thatthe UE uses to transmit the preamble. For example, the UE may start thetime window one or more symbols after a last symbol of the preamble(e.g., at a first PDCCH occasion from an end of a preambletransmission). The one or more symbols may be determined based on anumerology. The PDCCH may be in a common search space (e.g., aType1-PDCCH common search space) configured by an RRC message. The UEmay identify the RAR based on a Radio Network Temporary Identifier(RNTI). RNTIs may be used depending on one or more events initiating therandom access procedure. The UE may use random access RNTI (RA-RNTI).The RA-RNTI may be associated with PRACH occasions in which the UEtransmits a preamble. For example, the UE may determine the RA-RNTIbased on: an OFDM symbol index; a slot index; a frequency domain index;and/or a UL carrier indicator of the PRACH occasions. An example ofRA-RNTI may be as follows:RA-RNTI=1+s_id+14×t_id+14×80×f_id+14×80×8×ul_carrier_id, where s_id maybe an index of a first OFDM symbol of the PRACH occasion (e.g.,0≤s_id<14), t id may be an index of a first slot of the PRACH occasionin a system frame (e.g., 0≤t_id<80), f_id may be an index of the PRACHoccasion in the frequency domain (e.g., 0≤f_id <8), and ul_carrier_idmay be a UL carrier used for a preamble transmission (e.g., 0 for an NULcarrier, and 1 for an SUL carrier).

The UE may transmit the Msg 3 1313 in response to a successful receptionof the Msg 2 1312 (e.g., using resources identified in the Msg 2 1312).The Msg 3 1313 may be used for contention resolution in, for example,the contention-based random access procedure illustrated in FIG. 13A. Insome scenarios, a plurality of UEs may transmit a same preamble to abase station and the base station may provide an RAR that corresponds toa UE. Collisions may occur if the plurality of UEs interpret the RAR ascorresponding to themselves. Contention resolution (e.g., using the Msg3 1313 and the Msg 4 1314) may be used to increase the likelihood thatthe UE does not incorrectly use an identity of another the UE. Toperform contention resolution, the UE may include a device identifier inthe Msg 3 1313 (e.g., a C-RNTI if assigned, a TC-RNTI included in theMsg 2 1312, and/or any other suitable identifier).

The Msg 4 1314 may be received after or in response to the transmittingof the Msg 3 1313. If a C-RNTI was included in the Msg 3 1313, the basestation will address the UE on the PDCCH using the C-RNTI. If the UE'sunique C-RNTI is detected on the PDCCH, the random access procedure isdetermined to be successfully completed. If a TC-RNTI is included in theMsg 3 1313 (e.g., if the UE is in an RRC_IDLE state or not otherwiseconnected to the base station), Msg 4 1314 will be received using aDL-SCH associated with the TC-RNTI. If a MAC PDU is successfully decodedand a MAC PDU comprises the UE contention resolution identity MAC CEthat matches or otherwise corresponds with the CCCH SDU sent (e.g.,transmitted) in Msg 3 1313, the UE may determine that the contentionresolution is successful and/or the UE may determine that the randomaccess procedure is successfully completed.

The UE may be configured with a supplementary uplink (SUL) carrier and anormal uplink (NUL) carrier. An initial access (e.g., random accessprocedure) may be supported in an uplink carrier. For example, a basestation may configure the UE with two separate RACH configurations: onefor an SUL carrier and the other for an NUL carrier. For random accessin a cell configured with an SUL carrier, the network may indicate whichcarrier to use (NUL or SUL). The UE may determine the SUL carrier, forexample, if a measured quality of one or more reference signals is lowerthan a broadcast threshold. Uplink transmissions of the random accessprocedure (e.g., the Msg 1 1311 and/or the Msg 3 1313) may remain on theselected carrier. The UE may switch an uplink carrier during the randomaccess procedure (e.g., between the Msg 1 1311 and the Msg 3 1313) inone or more cases. For example, the UE may determine and/or switch anuplink carrier for the Msg 1 1311 and/or the Msg 3 1313 based on achannel clear assessment (e.g., a listen-before-talk).

FIG. 13B illustrates a two-step contention-free random access procedure.Similar to the four-step contention-based random access procedureillustrated in FIG. 13A, a base station may, prior to initiation of theprocedure, transmit a configuration message 1320 to the UE. Theconfiguration message 1320 may be analogous in some respects to theconfiguration message 1310. The procedure illustrated in FIG. 13Bcomprises transmission of two messages: a Msg 1 1321 and a Msg 2 1322.The Msg 1 1321 and the Msg 2 1322 may be analogous in some respects tothe Msg 1 1311 and a Msg 2 1312 illustrated in FIG. 13A, respectively.As will be understood from FIGS. 13A and 13B, the contention-free randomaccess procedure may not include messages analogous to the Msg 3 1313and/or the Msg 4 1314.

The contention-free random access procedure illustrated in FIG. 13B maybe initiated for a beam failure recovery, other SI request, SCelladdition, and/or handover. For example, a base station may indicate orassign to the UE the preamble to be used for the Msg 1 1321. The UE mayreceive, from the base station via PDCCH and/or RRC, an indication of apreamble (e.g., ra-PreambleIndex).

After transmitting a preamble, the UE may start a time window (e.g.,ra-ResponseWindow) to monitor a PDCCH for the RAR. In the event of abeam failure recovery request, the base station may configure the UEwith a separate time window and/or a separate PDCCH in a search spaceindicated by an RRC message (e.g., recoverySearchSpaceId). The UE maymonitor for a PDCCH transmission addressed to a Cell RNTI (C-RNTI) onthe search space. In the contention-free random access procedureillustrated in FIG. 13B, the UE may determine that a random accessprocedure successfully completes after or in response to transmission ofMsg 1 1321 and reception of a corresponding Msg 2 1322. The UE maydetermine that a random access procedure successfully completes, forexample, if a PDCCH transmission is addressed to a C-RNTI. The UE maydetermine that a random access procedure successfully completes, forexample, if the UE receives an RAR comprising a preamble identifiercorresponding to a preamble transmitted by the UE and/or the RARcomprises a MAC sub-PDU with the preamble identifier. The UE maydetermine the response as an indication of an acknowledgement for an SIrequest.

FIG. 13C illustrates another two-step random access procedure. Similarto the random access procedures illustrated in FIGS. 13A and 13B, a basestation may, prior to initiation of the procedure, transmit aconfiguration message 1330 to the UE. The configuration message 1330 maybe analogous in some respects to the configuration message 1310 and/orthe configuration message 1320. The procedure illustrated in FIG. 13Ccomprises transmission of two messages: a Msg A 1331 and a Msg B 1332.

Msg A 1331 may be transmitted in an uplink transmission by the UE. Msg A1331 may comprise one or more transmissions of a preamble 1341 and/orone or more transmissions of a transport block 1342. The transport block1342 may comprise contents that are similar and/or equivalent to thecontents of the Msg 3 1313 illustrated in FIG. 13A. The transport block1342 may comprise UCI (e.g., an SR, a HARQ ACK/NACK, and/or the like).The UE may receive the Msg B 1332 after or in response to transmittingthe Msg A 1331. The Msg B 1332 may comprise contents that are similarand/or equivalent to the contents of the Msg 2 1312 (e.g., an RAR)illustrated in FIGS. 13A and 13B and/or the Msg 4 1314 illustrated inFIG. 13A.

The UE may initiate the two-step random access procedure in FIG. 13C forlicensed spectrum and/or unlicensed spectrum. The UE may determine,based on one or more factors, whether to initiate the two-step randomaccess procedure. The one or more factors may be: a radio accesstechnology in use (e.g., LTE, NR, and/or the like); whether the UE hasvalid TA or not; a cell size; the UE's RRC state; a type of spectrum(e.g., licensed vs. unlicensed); and/or any other suitable factors.

The UE may determine, based on two-step RACH parameters included in theconfiguration message 1330, a radio resource and/or an uplink transmitpower for the preamble 1341 and/or the transport block 1342 included inthe Msg A 1331. The RACH parameters may indicate a modulation and codingschemes (MCS), a time-frequency resource, and/or a power control for thepreamble 1341 and/or the transport block 1342. A time-frequency resourcefor transmission of the preamble 1341 (e.g., a PRACH) and atime-frequency resource for transmission of the transport block 1342(e.g., a PUSCH) may be multiplexed using FDM, TDM, and/or CDM. The RACHparameters may enable the UE to determine a reception timing and adownlink channel for monitoring for and/or receiving Msg B 1332.

The transport block 1342 may comprise data (e.g., delay-sensitive data),an identifier of the UE, security information, and/or device information(e.g., an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI)). The basestation may transmit the Msg B 1332 as a response to the Msg A 1331. TheMsg B 1332 may comprise at least one of following: a preambleidentifier; a timing advance command; a power control command; an uplinkgrant (e.g., a radio resource assignment and/or an MCS); a UE identifierfor contention resolution; and/or an RNTI (e.g., a C-RNTI or a TC-RNTI).The UE may determine that the two-step random access procedure issuccessfully completed if: a preamble identifier in the Msg B 1332 ismatched to a preamble transmitted by the UE; and/or the identifier ofthe UE in Msg B 1332 is matched to the identifier of the UE in the Msg A1331 (e.g., the transport block 1342).

A UE and a base station may exchange control signaling. The controlsignaling may be referred to as L1/L2 control signaling and mayoriginate from the PHY layer (e.g., layer 1) and/or the MAC layer (e.g.,layer 2). The control signaling may comprise downlink control signalingtransmitted from the base station to the UE and/or uplink controlsignaling transmitted from the UE to the base station.

The downlink control signaling may comprise: a downlink schedulingassignment; an uplink scheduling grant indicating uplink radio resourcesand/or a transport format; a slot format information; a preemptionindication; a power control command; and/or any other suitablesignaling. The UE may receive the downlink control signaling in apayload transmitted by the base station on a physical downlink controlchannel (PDCCH). The payload transmitted on the PDCCH may be referred toas downlink control information (DCI). In some scenarios, the PDCCH maybe a group common PDCCH (GC-PDCCH) that is common to a group of UEs.

A base station may attach one or more cyclic redundancy check (CRC)parity bits to a DCI in order to facilitate detection of transmissionerrors. When the DCI is intended for a UE (or a group of the UEs), thebase station may scramble the CRC parity bits with an identifier of theUE (or an identifier of the group of the UEs). Scrambling the CRC paritybits with the identifier may comprise Modulo-2 addition (or an exclusiveOR operation) of the identifier value and the CRC parity bits. Theidentifier may comprise a 16-bit value of a radio network temporaryidentifier (RNTI).

DCIs may be used for different purposes. A purpose may be indicated bythe type of RNTI used to scramble the CRC parity bits. For example, aDCI having CRC parity bits scrambled with a paging RNTI (P-RNTI) mayindicate paging information and/or a system information changenotification. The P-RNTI may be predefined as “FFFE” in hexadecimal. ADCI having CRC parity bits scrambled with a system information RNTI(SI-RNTI) may indicate a broadcast transmission of the systeminformation. The SI-RNTI may be predefined as “FFFF” in hexadecimal. ADCI having CRC parity bits scrambled with a random access RNTI (RA-RNTI)may indicate a random access response (RAR). A DCI having CRC paritybits scrambled with a cell RNTI (C-RNTI) may indicate a dynamicallyscheduled unicast transmission and/or a triggering of PDCCH-orderedrandom access. A DCI having CRC parity bits scrambled with a temporarycell RNTI (TC-RNTI) may indicate a contention resolution (e.g., a Msg 3analogous to the Msg 3 1313 illustrated in FIG. 13A). Other RNTIsconfigured to the UE by a base station may comprise a ConfiguredScheduling RNTI (CS-RNTI), a Transmit Power Control-PUCCH RNTI(TPC-PUCCH-RNTI), a Transmit Power Control-PUSCH RNTI (TPC-PUSCH-RNTI),a Transmit Power Control-SRS RNTI (TPC-SRS-RNTI), an Interruption RNTI(INT-RNTI), a Slot Format Indication RNTI (SFI-RNTI), a Semi-PersistentCSI RNTI (SP-CSI-RNTI), a Modulation and Coding Scheme Cell RNTI(MCS-C-RNTI), and/or the like.

Depending on the purpose and/or content of a DCI, the base station maytransmit the

DCIs with one or more DCI formats. For example, DCI format 0_0 may beused for scheduling of PUSCH in a cell. DCI format 0_0 may be a fallbackDCI format (e.g., with compact DCI payloads). DCI format 0_1 may be usedfor scheduling of PUSCH in a cell (e.g., with more DCI payloads than DCIformat 0_0). DCI format 1_0 may be used for scheduling of PDSCH in acell. DCI format 1_0 may be a fallback DCI format (e.g., with compactDCI payloads). DCI format 1_1 may be used for scheduling of PDSCH in acell (e.g., with more DCI payloads than DCI format 1_0). DCI format 2_0may be used for providing a slot format indication to a group of UEs.DCI format 2_1 may be used for notifying a group of UEs of a physicalresource block and/or OFDM symbol where the UE may assume notransmission is intended to the UE. DCI format 2_2 may be used fortransmission of a transmit power control (TPC) command for PUCCH orPUSCH. DCI format 2_3 may be used for transmission of a group of TPCcommands for SRS transmissions by one or more UEs. DCI format(s) for newfunctions may be defined in future releases. DCI formats may havedifferent DCI sizes, or may share the same DCI size.

After scrambling a DCI with a RNTI, the base station may process the DCIwith channel coding (e.g., polar coding), rate matching, scramblingand/or QPSK modulation. A base station may map the coded and modulatedDCI on resource elements used and/or configured for a PDCCH. Based on apayload size of the DCI and/or a coverage of the base station, the basestation may transmit the DCI via a PDCCH occupying a number ofcontiguous control channel elements (CCEs). The number of the contiguousCCEs (referred to as aggregation level) may be 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and/orany other suitable number. A CCE may comprise a number (e.g., 6) ofresource-element groups (REGs). A REG may comprise a resource block inan OFDM symbol. The mapping of the coded and modulated DCI on theresource elements may be based on mapping of CCEs and REGs (e.g.,CCE-to-REG mapping).

FIG. 14A illustrates an example of CORESET configurations for abandwidth part. The base station may transmit a DCI via a PDCCH on oneor more control resource sets (CORESETs). A CORESET may comprise atime-frequency resource in which the UE tries to decode a DCI using oneor more search spaces. The base station may configure a CORESET in thetime-frequency domain. In the example of FIG. 14A, a first CORESET 1401and a second CORESET 1402 occur at the first symbol in a slot. The firstCORESET 1401 overlaps with the second CORESET 1402 in the frequencydomain. A third CORESET 1403 occurs at a third symbol in the slot. Afourth CORESET 1404 occurs at the seventh symbol in the slot. CORESETsmay have a different number of resource blocks in frequency domain.

FIG. 14B illustrates an example of a CCE-to-REG mapping for DCItransmission on a CORESET and PDCCH processing. The CCE-to-REG mappingmay be an interleaved mapping (e.g., for the purpose of providingfrequency diversity) or a non-interleaved mapping (e.g., for thepurposes of facilitating interference coordination and/orfrequency-selective transmission of control channels). The base stationmay perform different or same CCE-to-REG mapping on different CORESETs.A CORESET may be associated with a CCE-to-REG mapping by RRCconfiguration. A CORESET may be configured with an antenna port quasico-location (QCL) parameter. The antenna port QCL parameter may indicateQCL information of a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) for PDCCHreception in the CORESET.

The base station may transmit, to the UE, RRC messages comprisingconfiguration parameters of one or more CORESETs and one or more searchspace sets. The configuration parameters may indicate an associationbetween a search space set and a CORESET. A search space set maycomprise a set of PDCCH candidates formed by CCEs at a given aggregationlevel. The configuration parameters may indicate: a number of PDCCHcandidates to be monitored per aggregation level; a PDCCH monitoringperiodicity and a PDCCH monitoring pattern; one or more DCI formats tobe monitored by the UE; and/or whether a search space set is a commonsearch space set or a UE-specific search space set. A set of CCEs in thecommon search space set may be predefined and known to the UE. A set ofCCEs in the UE-specific search space set may be configured based on theUE's identity (e.g., C-RNTI).

As shown in FIG. 14B, the UE may determine a time-frequency resource fora

CORESET based on RRC messages. The UE may determine a CCE-to-REG mapping(e.g., interleaved or non-interleaved, and/or mapping parameters) forthe CORESET based on configuration parameters of the CORESET. The UE maydetermine a number (e.g., at most 10) of search space sets configured onthe CORESET based on the RRC messages. The UE may monitor a set of PDCCHcandidates according to configuration parameters of a search space set.The UE may monitor a set of PDCCH candidates in one or more CORESETs fordetecting one or more DCIs. Monitoring may comprise decoding one or morePDCCH candidates of the set of the PDCCH candidates according to themonitored DCI formats. Monitoring may comprise decoding a DCI content ofone or more PDCCH candidates with possible (or configured) PDCCHlocations, possible (or configured) PDCCH formats (e.g., number of CCEs,number of PDCCH candidates in common search spaces, and/or number ofPDCCH candidates in the UE-specific search spaces) and possible (orconfigured) DCI formats. The decoding may be referred to as blinddecoding. The UE may determine a DCI as valid for the UE, in response toCRC checking (e.g., scrambled bits for CRC parity bits of the DCImatching a RNTI value). The UE may process information contained in theDCI (e.g., a scheduling assignment, an uplink grant, power control, aslot format indication, a downlink preemption, and/or the like).

The UE may transmit uplink control signaling (e.g., uplink controlinformation (UCI)) to a base station. The uplink control signaling maycomprise hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) acknowledgements forreceived DL-SCH transport blocks. The UE may transmit the HARQacknowledgements after receiving a DL-SCH transport block. Uplinkcontrol signaling may comprise channel state information (CSI)indicating channel quality of a physical downlink channel. The UE maytransmit the CSI to the base station. The base station, based on thereceived CSI, may determine transmission format parameters (e.g.,comprising multi-antenna and beamforming schemes) for a downlinktransmission. Uplink control signaling may comprise scheduling requests(SR). The UE may transmit an SR indicating that uplink data is availablefor transmission to the base station. The UE may transmit a UCI (e.g.,HARQ acknowledgements (HARQ-ACK), CSI report, SR, and the like) via aphysical uplink control channel (PUCCH) or a physical uplink sharedchannel (PUSCH). The UE may transmit the uplink control signaling via aPUCCH using one of several PUCCH formats.

There may be five PUCCH formats and the UE may determine a PUCCH formatbased on a size of the UCI (e.g., a number of uplink symbols of UCItransmission and a number of UCI bits). PUCCH format 0 may have a lengthof one or two OFDM symbols and may include two or fewer bits. The UE maytransmit UCI in a PUCCH resource using PUCCH format 0 if thetransmission is over one or two symbols and the number of HARQ-ACKinformation bits with positive or negative SR (HARQ-ACK/SR bits) is oneor two. PUCCH format 1 may occupy a number between four and fourteenOFDM symbols and may include two or fewer bits. The UE may use PUCCHformat 1 if the transmission is four or more symbols and the number ofHARQ-ACK/SR bits is one or two. PUCCH format 2 may occupy one or twoOFDM symbols and may include more than two bits. The UE may use PUCCHformat 2 if the transmission is over one or two symbols and the numberof UCI bits is two or more. PUCCH format 3 may occupy a number betweenfour and fourteen OFDM symbols and may include more than two bits. TheUE may use PUCCH format 3 if the transmission is four or more symbols,the number of UCI bits is two or more and PUCCH resource does notinclude an orthogonal cover code. PUCCH format 4 may occupy a numberbetween four and fourteen OFDM symbols and may include more than twobits. The UE may use PUCCH format 4 if the transmission is four or moresymbols, the number of UCI bits is two or more and the PUCCH resourceincludes an orthogonal cover code.

The base station may transmit configuration parameters to the UE for aplurality of PUCCH resource sets using, for example, an RRC message. Theplurality of PUCCH resource sets (e.g., up to four sets) may beconfigured on an uplink BWP of a cell. A PUCCH resource set may beconfigured with a PUCCH resource set index, a plurality of PUCCHresources with a PUCCH resource being identified by a PUCCH resourceidentifier (e.g., pucch-Resourceid), and/or a number (e.g. a maximumnumber) of UCI information bits the UE may transmit using one of theplurality of PUCCH resources in the PUCCH resource set. When configuredwith a plurality of PUCCH resource sets, the UE may select one of theplurality of PUCCH resource sets based on a total bit length of the UCIinformation bits (e.g., HARQ-ACK, SR, and/or CSI). If the total bitlength of UCI information bits is two or fewer, the UE may select afirst PUCCH resource set having a PUCCH resource set index equal to “0”.If the total bit length of UCI information bits is greater than two andless than or equal to a first configured value, the UE may select asecond PUCCH resource set having a PUCCH resource set index equal to“1”. If the total bit length of UCI information bits is greater than thefirst configured value and less than or equal to a second configuredvalue, the UE may select a third PUCCH resource set having a PUCCHresource set index equal to “2”. If the total bit length of UCIinformation bits is greater than the second configured value and lessthan or equal to a third value (e.g., 1406), the UE may select a fourthPUCCH resource set having a PUCCH resource set index equal to “3”.

After determining a PUCCH resource set from a plurality of PUCCHresource sets, the UE may determine a PUCCH resource from the PUCCHresource set for UCI (HARQ-ACK, CSI, and/or SR) transmission. The UE maydetermine the PUCCH resource based on a PUCCH resource indicator in aDCI (e.g., with a DCI format 1_0 or DCI for 1_1) received on a PDCCH. Athree-bit PUCCH resource indicator in the DCI may indicate one of eightPUCCH resources in the PUCCH resource set. Based on the PUCCH resourceindicator, the UE may transmit the UCI (HARQ-ACK, CSI and/or SR) using aPUCCH resource indicated by the PUCCH resource indicator in the DCI.

FIG. 15 illustrates an example of a wireless device 1502 incommunication with a base station 1504 in accordance with embodiments ofthe present disclosure. The wireless device 1502 and base station 1504may be part of a mobile communication network, such as the mobilecommunication network 100 illustrated in FIG. 1A, the mobilecommunication network 150 illustrated in FIG. 1B, or any othercommunication network. Only one wireless device 1502 and one basestation 1504 are illustrated in FIG. 15 , but it will be understood thata mobile communication network may include more than one UE and/or morethan one base station, with the same or similar configuration as thoseshown in FIG. 15 .

The base station 1504 may connect the wireless device 1502 to a corenetwork (not shown) through radio communications over the air interface(or radio interface) 1506. The communication direction from the basestation 1504 to the wireless device 1502 over the air interface 1506 isknown as the downlink, and the communication direction from the wirelessdevice 1502 to the base station 1504 over the air interface is known asthe uplink. Downlink transmissions may be separated from uplinktransmissions using FDD, TDD, and/or some combination of the twoduplexing techniques.

In the downlink, data to be sent to the wireless device 1502 from thebase station 1504 may be provided to the processing system 1508 of thebase station 1504. The data may be provided to the processing system1508 by, for example, a core network. In the uplink, data to be sent tothe base station 1504 from the wireless device 1502 may be provided tothe processing system 1518 of the wireless device 1502. The processingsystem 1508 and the processing system 1518 may implement layer 3 andlayer 2 OSI functionality to process the data for transmission. Layer 2may include an SDAP layer, a PDCP layer, an RLC layer, and a MAC layer,for example, with respect to FIG. 2A, FIG. 2B, FIG. 3 , and FIG. 4A.Layer 3 may include an RRC layer as with respect to FIG. 2B.

After being processed by processing system 1508, the data to be sent tothe wireless device 1502 may be provided to a transmission processingsystem 1510 of base station 1504. Similarly, after being processed bythe processing system 1518, the data to be sent to base station 1504 maybe provided to a transmission processing system 1520 of the wirelessdevice 1502. The transmission processing system 1510 and thetransmission processing system 1520 may implement layer 1 OSIfunctionality. Layer 1 may include a PHY layer with respect to FIG. 2A,FIG. 2B, FIG. 3 , and FIG. 4A. For transmit processing, the PHY layermay perform, for example, forward error correction coding of transportchannels, interleaving, rate matching, mapping of transport channels tophysical channels, modulation of physical channel, multiple-inputmultiple-output (MIMO) or multi-antenna processing, and/or the like.

At the base station 1504, a reception processing system 1512 may receivethe uplink transmission from the wireless device 1502. At the wirelessdevice 1502, a reception processing system 1522 may receive the downlinktransmission from base station 1504. The reception processing system1512 and the reception processing system 1522 may implement layer 1 OSIfunctionality. Layer 1 may include a PHY layer with respect to FIG. 2A,FIG. 2B, FIG. 3 , and FIG. 4A. For receive processing, the PHY layer mayperform, for example, error detection, forward error correctiondecoding, deinterleaving, demapping of transport channels to physicalchannels, demodulation of physical channels, MIMO or multi-antennaprocessing, and/or the like.

As shown in FIG. 15 , a wireless device 1502 and the base station 1504may include multiple antennas. The multiple antennas may be used toperform one or more MIMO or multi-antenna techniques, such as spatialmultiplexing (e.g., single-user MIMO or multi-user MIMO),transmit/receive diversity, and/or beamforming. In other examples, thewireless device 1502 and/or the base station 1504 may have a singleantenna.

The processing system 1508 and the processing system 1518 may beassociated with a memory 1514 and a memory 1524, respectively. Memory1514 and memory 1524 (e.g., one or more non-transitory computer readablemediums) may store computer program instructions or code that may beexecuted by the processing system 1508 and/or the processing system 1518to carry out one or more of the functionalities discussed in the presentapplication. Although not shown in FIG. 15 , the transmission processingsystem 1510, the transmission processing system 1520, the receptionprocessing system 1512, and/or the reception processing system 1522 maybe coupled to a memory (e.g., one or more non-transitory computerreadable mediums) storing computer program instructions or code that maybe executed to carry out one or more of their respectivefunctionalities.

The processing system 1508 and/or the processing system 1518 maycomprise one or more controllers and/or one or more processors. The oneor more controllers and/or one or more processors may comprise, forexample, a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP),a microcontroller, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), afield programmable gate array (FPGA) and/or other programmable logicdevice, discrete gate and/or transistor logic, discrete hardwarecomponents, an on-board unit, or any combination thereof. The processingsystem 1508 and/or the processing system 1518 may perform at least oneof signal coding/processing, data processing, power control,input/output processing, and/or any other functionality that may enablethe wireless device 1502 and the base station 1504 to operate in awireless environment.

The processing system 1508 and/or the processing system 1518 may beconnected to one or more peripherals 1516 and one or more peripherals1526, respectively. The one or more peripherals 1516 and the one or moreperipherals 1526 may include software and/or hardware that providefeatures and/or functionalities, for example, a speaker, a microphone, akeypad, a display, a touchpad, a power source, a satellite transceiver,a universal serial bus (USB) port, a hands-free headset, a frequencymodulated (FM) radio unit, a media player, an Internet browser, anelectronic control unit (e.g., for a motor vehicle), and/or one or moresensors (e.g., an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a temperature sensor, aradar sensor, a lidar sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a light sensor, acamera, and/or the like). The processing system 1508 and/or theprocessing system 1518 may receive user input data from and/or provideuser output data to the one or more peripherals 1516 and/or the one ormore peripherals 1526. The processing system 1518 in the wireless device1502 may receive power from a power source and/or may be configured todistribute the power to the other components in the wireless device1502. The power source may comprise one or more sources of power, forexample, a battery, a solar cell, a fuel cell, or any combinationthereof. The processing system 1508 and/or the processing system 1518may be connected to a GPS chipset 1517 and a GPS chipset 1527,respectively. The GPS chipset 1517 and the GPS chipset 1527 may beconfigured to provide geographic location information of the wirelessdevice 1502 and the base station 1504, respectively.

FIG. 16A illustrates an example structure for uplink transmission. Abaseband signal representing a physical uplink shared channel mayperform one or more functions. The one or more functions may comprise atleast one of: scrambling; modulation of scrambled bits to generatecomplex-valued symbols; mapping of the complex-valued modulation symbolsonto one or several transmission layers; transform precoding to generatecomplex-valued symbols; precoding of the complex-valued symbols; mappingof precoded complex-valued symbols to resource elements; generation ofcomplex-valued time-domain Single Carrier-Frequency Division MultipleAccess (SC-FDMA) or CP-OFDM signal for an antenna port; and/or the like.In an example, when transform precoding is enabled, a SC-FDMA signal foruplink transmission may be generated. In an example, when transformprecoding is not enabled, an CP-OFDM signal for uplink transmission maybe generated by FIG. 16A. These functions are illustrated as examplesand it is anticipated that other mechanisms may be implemented invarious embodiments.

FIG. 16B illustrates an example structure for modulation andup-conversion of a baseband signal to a carrier frequency. The basebandsignal may be a complex-valued SC-FDMA or CP-OFDM baseband signal for anantenna port and/or a complex-valued Physical Random Access Channel(PRACH) baseband signal. Filtering may be employed prior totransmission.

FIG. 16C illustrates an example structure for downlink transmissions. Abaseband signal representing a physical downlink channel may perform oneor more functions. The one or more functions may comprise: scrambling ofcoded bits in a codeword to be transmitted on a physical channel;modulation of scrambled bits to generate complex-valued modulationsymbols; mapping of the complex-valued modulation symbols onto one orseveral transmission layers; precoding of the complex-valued modulationsymbols on a layer for transmission on the antenna ports; mapping ofcomplex-valued modulation symbols for an antenna port to resourceelements; generation of complex-valued time-domain OFDM signal for anantenna port; and/or the like. These functions are illustrated asexamples and it is anticipated that other mechanisms may be implementedin various embodiments.

FIG. 16D illustrates another example structure for modulation andup-conversion of a baseband signal to a carrier frequency. The basebandsignal may be a complex-valued OFDM baseband signal for an antenna port.Filtering may be employed prior to transmission.

A wireless device may receive from a base station one or more messages(e.g. RRC messages) comprising configuration parameters of a pluralityof cells (e.g. primary cell, secondary cell). The wireless device maycommunicate with at least one base station (e.g. two or more basestations in dual-connectivity) via the plurality of cells. The one ormore messages (e.g. as a part of the configuration parameters) maycomprise parameters of physical, MAC, RLC, PCDP, SDAP, RRC layers forconfiguring the wireless device. For example, the configurationparameters may comprise parameters for configuring physical and MAClayer channels, bearers, etc. For example, the configuration parametersmay comprise parameters indicating values of timers for physical, MAC,RLC, PCDP, SDAP, RRC layers, and/or communication channels.

A timer may begin running once it is started and continue running untilit is stopped or until it expires. A timer may be started if it is notrunning or restarted if it is running. A timer may be associated with avalue (e.g. the timer may be started or restarted from a value or may bestarted from zero and expire once it reaches the value). The duration ofa timer may not be updated until the timer is stopped or expires (e.g.,due to BWP switching). A timer may be used to measure a timeperiod/window for a process. When the specification refers to animplementation and procedure related to one or more timers, it will beunderstood that there are multiple ways to implement the one or moretimers. For example, it will be understood that one or more of themultiple ways to implement a timer may be used to measure a timeperiod/window for the procedure. For example, a random access responsewindow timer may be used for measuring a window of time for receiving arandom access response. In an example, instead of starting and expiry ofa random access response window timer, the time difference between twotime stamps may be used. When a timer is restarted, a process formeasurement of time window may be restarted. Other exampleimplementations may be provided to restart a measurement of a timewindow.

A base station may transmit one or more MAC PDUs to a wireless device.In an example, a MAC PDU may be a bit string that is byte aligned (e.g.,aligned to a multiple of eight bits) in length. In an example, bitstrings may be represented by tables in which the most significant bitis the leftmost bit of the first line of the table, and the leastsignificant bit is the rightmost bit on the last line of the table. Moregenerally, the bit string may be read from left to right and then in thereading order of the lines. In an example, the bit order of a parameterfield within a MAC PDU is represented with the first and mostsignificant bit in the leftmost bit and the last and least significantbit in the rightmost bit.

In an example, a MAC SDU may be a bit string that is byte aligned (e.g.,aligned to a multiple of eight bits) in length. In an example, a MAC SDUmay be included in a MAC PDU from the first bit onward. A MAC CE may bea bit string that is byte aligned (e.g., aligned to a multiple of eightbits) in length. A MAC subheader may be a bit string that is bytealigned (e.g., aligned to a multiple of eight bits) in length. In anexample, a MAC subheader may be placed immediately in front of acorresponding MAC SDU, MAC CE, or padding. A MAC entity may ignore avalue of reserved bits in a DL MAC PDU.

In an example, a MAC PDU may comprise one or more MAC subPDUs. A MACsubPDU of the one or more MAC subPDUs may comprise: a MAC subheader only(including padding); a MAC subheader and a MAC SDU; a MAC subheader anda MAC CE; a MAC subheader and padding, or a combination thereof. The MACSDU may be of variable size. A MAC subheader may correspond to a MACSDU, a MAC CE, or padding.

In an example, when a MAC subheader corresponds to a MAC SDU, avariable-sized MAC CE, or padding, the MAC subheader may comprise: aReserve field (R field) with a one bit length; an Format filed (F field)with a one-bit length; a Logical Channel Identifier (LCID) field with amulti-bit length; a Length field (L field) with a multi-bit length,indicating the length of the corresponding MAC SDU or variable-size MACCE in bytes, or a combination thereof. In an example, F field mayindicate the size of the L field.

In an example, a MAC entity of the base station may transmit one or moreMAC CEs (e.g., one or more MAC CE commands) to a MAC entity of awireless device. The one or more MAC CE commands may comprise at leastone of: a SP ZP CSI-RS Resource Set Activation/Deactivation MAC CE, aPUCCH spatial relation Activation/Deactivation MAC CE, a SP SRSActivation/Deactivation MAC CE, a SP CSI reporting on PUCCHActivation/Deactivation MAC CE, a TCI State Indication for UE-specificPDCCH MAC CE, a TCI State Indication for UE-specific PDSCH MAC CE, anAperiodic CSI Trigger State Subselection MAC CE, a SP CSI-RS/CSI-IMResource Set Activation/Deactivation MAC CE, a UE contention resolutionidentity MAC CE, a timing advance command MAC CE, a DRX command MAC CE,a Long DRX command MAC CE, an SCell activation/deactivation MAC CE (1Octet), an SCell activation/deactivation MAC CE (4 Octet), and/or aduplication activation/deactivation MAC CE.

In an example, a MAC CE, such as a MAC CE transmitted by a MAC entity ofthe base station to a MAC entity of the wireless device or a MAC CEcommand, may have an LCID in the MAC subheader corresponding to the MACCE. In an example, a first MAC CE may have a first LCID in the MACsubheader that may be different than the second LCID in the MACsubheader of a second MAC CE. For example, an LCID given by 111011 in aMAC subheader may indicate that the MAC CE associated with the MACsubheader is a Long DRX command MAC CE.

For example, the wireless device may, based on receiving the MAC CEcommand, apply the MAC CE command N subframes (e.g., 3 subframes), or Xms (e.g., 3 ms), after transmitting a HARQ-ACK information bit (e.g.,using a PUCCH) corresponding to the MAC CE command.

In an example, the MAC entity of the wireless device may transmit to theMAC entity of the base station one or more MAC CEs. The one or more MACCEs may comprise at least one of: a short buffer status report (BSR) MACCE, a long BSR MAC CE, a C-RNTI MAC CE, a configured grant confirmationMAC CE, a single entry PHR MAC CE, a multiple entry PHR MAC CE, a Shorttruncated BSR, and/or a Long truncated BSR. In an example, a MAC CE mayhave an LCID in the MAC subheader corresponding to the MAC CE. In anexample, a first MAC CE may have a first LCID in the MAC subheader thatmay be different than the second LCID in the MAC subheader of a secondMAC CE. For example, an LCID given by 111011 in a MAC subheader mayindicate that a MAC CE associated with the MAC subheader is ashort-truncated command MAC CE.

In carrier aggregation (CA), two or more component carriers (CCs) may beaggregated. The wireless device may, using the technique of CA,simultaneously receive or transmit on one or more CCs, depending oncapabilities of the wireless device. In an example, the wireless devicemay support CA for contiguous CCs and/or for non-contiguous CCs. CCs maybe organized into cells. For example, CCs may be organized into oneprimary cell (PCell) and one or more secondary cells (SCells).

When configured with CA, the wireless device may have one RRC connectionwith a network. During an RRC connectionestablishment/re-establishment/handover, a cell providing NAS mobilityinformation may be a serving cell. During an RRC connectionre-establishment/handover procedure, a cell providing a security inputmay be the serving cell. In an example, the serving cell may be a PCell.

In an example, the base station may transmit, to the wireless device,one or more messages. The one or more messages may comprise one or moreRRC messages. For example, the one or more RRC messages may comprise oneor more configuration parameters (e.g., one or more RRC configurationparameters).

In an example, the one or more RRC configuration parameters may compriseconfiguration parameters of a plurality of one or more SCells, dependingon capabilities of the wireless device. When configured with CA, thebase station and/or the wireless device may employ anactivation/deactivation mechanism of an SCell to improve battery orpower consumption of the wireless device. When the wireless device isconfigured with one or more SCells, the base station may activate ordeactivate at least one of the one or more SCells. Upon configuration ofan SCell, the SCell may be deactivated unless the SCell state associatedwith the SCell is set to “activated” or “dormant.” The wireless devicemay activate/deactivate the SCell in response to receiving an SCellActivation/Deactivation MAC CE.

For example, the base station may configure (e.g., via the one or moreRRC messages/configuration parameters) the wireless device with uplink(UL) bandwidth parts (BWPs) and downlink (DL) BWPs to enable bandwidthadaptation (BA) on a PCell. If carrier aggregation (CA) is configured,the base station may further configure the wireless device with at leastone DL BWP (i.e., there may be no UL BWP in the UL) to enable BA on anSCell. For the PCell, an initial active BWP may be a first BWP used forinitial access. In paired spectrum (e.g., FDD), the base station and/orthe wireless device may independently switch a DL BWP and an UL BWP. Inunpaired spectrum (e.g., TDD), the base station and/or the wirelessdevice may simultaneously switch the DL BWP and the UL BWP.

In an example, the base station and/or the wireless device may switch aBWP between configured BWPs by means of a DCI or a BWP invalidity timer.When the BWP invalidity timer is configured for the serving cell, thebase station and/or the wireless device may switch the active BWP to adefault BWP in response to the expiry of the BWP invalidity timerassociated with the serving cell. The default BWP may be configured bythe network. In an example, for FDD systems, when configured with BA,one UL BWP for each uplink carrier and one DL BWP may be active at atime in the active serving cell. In an example, for TDD systems, oneDL/UL BWP pair may be active at a time in the active serving cell.Operating on one UL BWP and one DL BWP (or one DL/UL pair) may improvethe wireless device battery consumption. One or more BWPs other than theactive UL BWP and the active DL BWP, which the wireless device may workon, may be deactivated. On the deactivated one or more BWPs, thewireless device may: not monitor PDCCH; and/or not transmit on PUCCH,PRACH, and UL-SCH. In an example, the MAC entity of the wireless devicemay apply normal operations on the active BWP for an activated servingcell configured with a BWP comprising: transmitting on UL-SCH;transmitting on RACH; monitoring a PDCCH; transmitting PUCCH; receivingDL-SCH; and/or (re-)initializing any suspended configured uplink grantsof configured grant Type 1 according to a stored configuration, if any.In an example, on the inactive BWP for each activated serving cellconfigured with a BWP, the MAC entity of the wireless device may: nottransmit on UL-SCH; not transmit on RACH; not monitor a PDCCH; nottransmit PUCCH; not transmit SRS, not receive DL-SCH; clear anyconfigured downlink assignment and configured uplink grant of configuredgrant Type 2; and/or suspend any configured uplink grant of configuredType 1.

In an example, a DCI addressed to an RNTI may comprise a CRC of the DCIbeing scrambled with the RNTI. The wireless device may monitor PDCCHaddressed to (or for) the RNTI for detecting the DCI. For example, thePDCCH may carry (or be with) the DCI. In an example, the PDCCH may notcarry the DCI.

In an example, a set of PDCCH candidates for the wireless device tomonitor is defined in terms of one or more search space sets. A searchspace set may comprise a common search space (CSS) set, or a UE-specificsearch space (USS) set. The wireless device may monitor one or morePDCCH candidates in one or more of the following search space sets: aType0-PDCCH CSS set configured by pdcch-ConfigSIB1 in MIB or bysearchSpaceSIB1 in PDCCH-ConfigCommon or by searchSpaceZero inPDCCH-ConfigCommon for a DCI format with CRC scrambled by a SI-RNTI onthe primary cell of the MCG, a Type0A-PDCCH CSS set configured bysearchSpaceOtherSystemInformation in PDCCH-ConfigCommon for a DCI formatwith CRC scrambled by the SI-RNTI on the primary cell of the MCG, aType1-PDCCH CSS set configured by ra-SearchSpace in PDCCH-ConfigCommonfor a DCI format with CRC scrambled by a RA-RNTI, a MSGB-RNTI, or aTC-RNTI on the primary cell, a Type2-PDCCH CSS set configured bypagingSearchSpace in PDCCH-ConfigCommon for a DCI format with CRCscrambled by a P-RNTI on the primary cell of the MCG, a Type3-PDCCH CSSset configured by SearchSpace in PDCCH-Config withsearchSpaceType=common for DCI formats with CRC scrambled by a INT-RNTI,a SFI-RNTI, a TPC-PUSCH-RNTI, a TPC-PUCCH-RNTI, a TPC-SRS-RNTI, aCI-RNTI, or a power saving RNTI (PS-RNTI) and, only for the primarycell, a C-RNTI, a MCS-C-RNTI, or a CS-RNTI(s), and the USS setconfigured by SearchSpace in PDCCH-Config withsearchSpaceType=ue-Specific for DCI formats with CRC scrambled by theC-RNTI, the MCS-C-RNTI, a SP-CSI-RNTI, the CS-RNTI(s), a SL-RNTI, aSL-CS-RNTI, or a SL-L-CS-RNTI.

In an example, the wireless device may monitor the one or more PDCCHcandidates according to one or more configuration parameters of thesearch space set. For example, the search space set may comprise aplurality of search spaces (SSs). The wireless device may monitor theone or more PDCCH candidates in one or more CORESETs for detecting oneor more DCIs. Monitoring the one or more PDCCH candidates may comprisedecoding at least one PDCCH candidate of the one or more PDCCHcandidates according to the monitored DCI formats. For example,monitoring the one or more PDCCH candidates may comprise decoding (e.g.,blind decoding) a DCI content of the at least one PDCCH candidate viapossible (or configured) PDCCH location(s), possible (or configured)PDCCH format(s), e.g., number of CCEs, number of PDCCH candidates in CSSset(s), and/or number of PDCCH candidates in the USS(s), and/or possible(or configured) DCI format(s).

In an example, the wireless device may receive the C-RNTI (e.g., via oneor more previous transmissions) from the base station. For example, theone or more previous transmissions may comprise a Msg 2 1312, Msg 41314, or a Msg B 1332. If the wireless device is not provided theType3-PDCCH CSS set or the USS set and if provided the Type1-PDCCH CSSset, the wireless device may monitor the one or more PDCCH candidatesfor DCI format 0_0 and DCI format 1_0 with CRC scrambled by the C-RNTIin the Type1-PDCCH CSS set.

For example, the one or more search space sets may correspond to one ormore of searchSpaceZero, searchSpaceSIB1,searchSpaceOtherSystemInformation, pagingSearchSpace, ra-SearchSpace,and the C-RNTI, the MCS-C-RNTI, or the CS-RNTI. The wireless device maymonitor the one or more PDCCH candidates for the DCI format 0_0 and theDCI format 1_0 with CRC scrambled by the C-RNTI, the MCS-C-RNTI, or theCS-RNTI in the one or more search space sets in a slot where thewireless device monitors the one or more PDCCH candidates for at leastthe DCI format 0_0 or the DCI format 1_0 with CRC scrambled by theSI-RNTI, the RA-RNTI, the MSGB-RNTI, or the P-RNTI.

FIG. 17 shows several DCI formats. For example, the base station may usethe DCI formats to transmit downlink control information to the wirelessdevice. In an example, the wireless device may use the DCI formats forPDCCH monitoring. Different DCI formats may comprise different DCIfields and/or have different DCI payload sizes. Different DCI formatsmay have different signaling purposes. As shown in FIG. 17 , DCI format0_0 may be used to schedule PUSCH in one cell. In an example, DCI format0_1 may be used to schedule one or multiple PUSCH in one cell orindicate CG-DFI (configured grant-Downlink Feedback Information) forconfigured grant PUSCH, etc.

Semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) may be supported in the downlink, wherethe wireless device may be configured with a periodicity of the datatransmission using the one or more configuration parameters (e.g.,SPS-Config). Activation of semi-persistent scheduling may be done usingPDCCH with CS-RNTI (e.g., receiving the PDCCH transmission addressedto/by the CS-RNTI). The PDCCH may carry necessary information in termsof time-frequency resources and other parameters. A HARQ processnumber/ID may be derived from a time, for example, when the downlinkdata transmission starts. Upon activation of semi-persistent scheduling,the wireless device may receive downlink transmission periodicallyaccording to the periodicity of the data transmission using one or moretransmission parameters indicated in the PDCCH activating thesemi-persistent scheduling.

In the uplink, two schemes for transmission without a dynamic grant maybe supported. The two schemes may differ in the way they areactivated: 1) type 1 of the configured grant (or configured grant Type1), where an uplink grant is provided by the one or more configurationparameters (e.g., ConfiguredGrantConfig), including activation of thegrant, 2) configured grant Type 2 (or type 2 of the configured grant),where the transmission periodicity is provided by the one or moreconfiguration parameters (e.g., ConfiguredGrantConfig) and L1/L2 controlsignaling is used to activate/deactivate the transmission in a similarway as in the SPS. The two schemes may reduce control signalingoverhead, and the latency before uplink data transmission, as noscheduling request-grant cycle is needed prior to data transmission. Inan example of the configured grant Type 2, The one or more configurationparameters may indicate/configure the preconfigured periodicity andPDCCH activation may provide transmission parameters. Upon receiving theactivation command, the wireless device may transmit according to thepreconfigured periodicity, if, for example, there are data in thebuffer. If there are no data to transmit, the wireless device may,similarly to the configured grant Type 1, not transmit anything. Thewireless device may acknowledge the activation/deactivation ofconfigured grant Type 2 by sending a MAC control element in the uplink.In both schemes, it is possible to configure multiple wireless deviceswith overlapping time-frequency resources in the uplink. In this case,the network may differentiate between transmissions from differentwireless devices. In an example, PUSCH resource allocation may besemi-statically configured by the one or more configuration parameters(e.g., ConfiguredGrantConfig).

In an example, the wireless device may support a baseline processingtime/capability. For example, the wireless device may support additionalaggressive/faster processing time/capability. In an example, thewireless device may report to the base station a processing capability,e.g., per sub-carrier spacing. In an example, a PDSCH processing timemay be considered to determine, by a wireless device, a first uplinksymbol of a PUCCH (e.g., determined at least based on a HARQ-ACK timingK1 and one or more PUCCH resources to be used and including the effectof the timing advance) comprising the HARQ-ACK information of the PDSCHscheduled by a DCI. In an example, the first uplink symbol of the PUCCHmay not start earlier than a time gap (e.g., T_(proc,1)) after a lastsymbol of the PDSCH reception associated with the HARQ-ACK information.In an example, the first uplink symbol of the PUCCH which carries theHARQ-ACK information may start no earlier than at symbol L1, where L1 isdefined as the next uplink symbol with its Cyclic Prefix (CP) startingafter the time gap T_(proc,1) after the end of the last symbol of thePDSCH.

In an example, a PUSCH preparation/processing time may be considered fordetermining the transmission time of an UL data. For example, if thefirst uplink symbol in the PUSCH allocation for a transport block(including DM-RS) is no earlier than at symbol L2, the wireless devicemay perform transmitting the PUSCH. In an example, the symbol L2 may bedetermined, by a wireless device, at least based on a slot offset (e.g.,K2), SLIV of the PUSCH allocation indicated by time domain resourceassignment of a scheduling DCI. In an example, the symbol L2 may bespecified as the next uplink symbol with its CP starting after a timegap with length T_(proc,2) after the end of the reception of the lastsymbol of the PDCCH carrying the DCI scheduling the PUSCH.

FIG. 18A shows an example of a non-terrestrial network. Thenon-terrestrial network (NTN) network (e.g., a satellite network) may bea network or network segment (e.g., an NG-RAN consisting of gNBs) forproviding non-terrestrial NR access to wireless devices. The NTN may usea space-borne vehicle to embark a transmission equipment relay node(e.g., radio remote unit or a transparent payload) or a base station (ora regenerative payload). While a terrestrial network is a networklocated on the surface of the earth, an NTN may be a network which usesan NTN node (e.g., a satellite) as an access network, a backhaulinterface network, or both. In an example, an NTN may comprise one ormore NTN nodes (or payloads and/or space-borne vehicles), each of whichmay provide connectivity functions, between the service link and thefeeder link.

An NTN node may embark a bent pipe payload (e.g., a transparent payload)or a regenerative payload. The NTN node with the transparent payload maycomprise transmitter/receiver circuitries without the capability ofon-board digital signal processing (e.g., modulation and/or coding) andconnect to a base station (e.g., a base station of an NTN or the NTNbase station or a non-terrestrial access point) via a feeder link. Insome respects, as shown in FIG. 18A, the base station (e.g., a gNB) mayfurther comprise the transparent NTN node, the feeder link, and/or agateway (e.g., an NTN gateway). The gateway may be an earth station thatis located at the surface of the earth, providing connectivity to theNTN payload using a feeder link. In some examples, the NTN node with theregenerative payload (e.g., the base station of the NTN or the NTN basestation) may comprise functionalities of a base station, e.g., theon-board processing used to demodulate and decode the received signaland/or regenerate the signal before sending/transmitting it back to theearth. In some respects, as shown in FIG. 18A, the base station (e.g.,the gNB) may further comprise the regenerative NTN node, the feederlink, and/or the gateway (e.g., the NTN gateway).

In some examples, the NTN node may be a satellite, a balloon, an airship, an airplane, an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), an unmanned aerialvehicle (UAV), a drone, or the like. For example, the UAS may be ablimp, a high-altitude platform station (HAPS), e.g., an airbornevehicle embarking the NTN payload placed at an altitude between 8 and 50km, or a pseudo satellite station. FIG. 18B is an example figure ofdifferent types of NTN platforms. In an example, a satellite may beplaced into a low-earth orbit (LEO) at an altitude between 250 km to1500 km, with orbital periods ranging from 90-130 minutes. From theperspective of a given point on the surface of the earth, the positionof the LEO satellite may change. In an example, a satellite may beplaced into a medium-earth orbit (MEO) at an altitude between 5000 to20000 km, with orbital periods ranging from 2 hours to 14 hours. In anexample, a satellite may be placed into a geostationary satellite earthorbit (GEO) at 35,786 km altitude, and directly above the equator. Fromthe perspective of a given point on the surface of the earth, theposition of the GEO satellite may not change.

FIG. 19A shows an example of an NTN with a transparent NTN platform. Asshown in FIG. 19A, the NTN node/platform (e.g., the satellite) mayforward a received signal from the NTN gateway on the ground back to theearth over the feeder link. In an example, the gateway and the basestation may not be collocated. The NTN node may forward a receivedsignal to the wireless device or the base station from another NTN node,e.g., over inter-link satellite communication links.

The NTN node may generate one or more beams over a given area (e.g., acoverage area or a cell). The footprint of a beam (or the cell) may bereferred to as a spotbeam. For example, the footprint of a cell/beam maymove over the Earth's surface with the satellite movement (e.g., a LEOwith moving cells or a HAPS with moving cells). The footprint of acell/beam may be Earth fixed with some beam pointing mechanism used bythe satellite to compensate for its motion (e.g., a LEO with earth fixedcells). As shown in FIG. 18B, the size of a spotbeam may range from tensof kilometers to a few thousand kilometers. For example, the size of thespotbeam may depend on the system design.

A propagation delay may be an amount of time it takes for the head ofthe signal to travel from a sender (e.g., the base station or the NTNnode) to a receiver (e.g., the wireless device) or vice versa. Foruplink, the sender may be the wireless device and the receiver may bethe base station/access network. For downlink, the sender may be thebase station/access network and the receiver may be the wireless device.The propagation delay may vary depending on a change in distance betweenthe sender and the receiver, e.g., due to movement of the NTN node,movement of the wireless device, a change of an inter-satellite link,and/or feeder link switching.

FIG. 19B shows examples of propagation delay corresponding to NTNs ofdifferent altitudes. The propagation delay in the figure may be one-waylatency/delay. In an example, one-way latency/delay may be an amount oftime required to propagate through a telecommunication system from thesender (e.g., the base station) to the receiver (e.g., the wirelessdevice). In an example shown in FIG. 19B, for the transparent NTN, theround-trip propagation delay (RTD or UE-gNB RTT) may comprise servicelink delay (e.g., between the NTN node and the wireless device), feederlink delay (e.g., between the NTN gateway and the NTN node), and/orbetween the gateway and the base station (e.g., in the case the gatewayand the NTN base station are not collocated). For example, the UE-gNBRTT (or the RTD) may be twice of the one-way delay between the wirelessdevice and the base station. From FIG. 19B, in case of a GEO satellitewith the transparent payload, the RTD may be four times of 138.9milliseconds (approximately 556 milliseconds). In an example, the RTD ofa terrestrial network (e.g., NR, E-UTRA, LTE) may be negligible comparedto the RTD of an NTN scenario (e.g., the RTD of a terrestrial networkmay be less than 1 millisecond). A maximum RTD of a LEO satellite withthe transparent payload and altitude of 600 km is approximately 25.77milliseconds and with altitude of 1200 km is approximately 41.77milliseconds.

A differential delay within a beam/cell of a NTN node may depend on, forexample, the maximum diameter of the beam/cell footprint at nadir. Forexample, the differential delay withing the beam/cell may depend on themaximum delay link in FIG. 19A. In an example, the differential delaymay imply the maximum difference between communication latency that twowireless devices, e.g., a first wireless device (UE1) that is locatedclose to the center of the cell/beam and a second wireless device (UE2)that is located close to the edge of the cell/beam in FIG. 19B, mayexperience while communicating with the base station via the NTN node.The first wireless device may experience a smaller RTD compared to thesecond wireless device. The link with a maximum propagation delay (e.g.,the maximum delay link) may experience the highest propagation delay (orthe maximum RTD) in the cell/beam. In an example, the differential delaymay imply a difference between the maximum delay of the cell/beam and aminimum delay of the cell/beam. In an example, the service link to acell/beam center may experience the minimum propagation delay in thecell/beam. Depending on implementation, for a LEO satellite, thedifferential delay may be at least 3.12 milliseconds and may increase upto 8 milliseconds. In an example of a GEO satellite, depending onimplementation, the differential delay may be as large as 32milliseconds.

The wireless device (e.g., the first wireless device and/or the secondwireless device in FIG. 19B) may receive the one or more configurationparameters, e.g., the one or more RRC configuration parameters from thebase station. For example, the one or more configuration parameters maycomprise one or more NTN configuration parameters. In some aspects, thewireless device may indicate a capability for NR NTN access (e.g.,nonTerrestrialNetwork-r17), e.g., to receive the one or more NTNconfiguration parameters (e.g., via one or more NTN-specific SIBs). Forexample, the one or more NTN configuration parameters may be received,by the wireless device, from a broadcast system information (e.g., SIB1and/or the one or more NTN-specific SIBs). The one or more NTNconfiguration parameters may facilitate/manage thecalculation/determination/measurement of the propagation delay (e.g.,the UE-gNB RTT) and/or a timing advance (TA) at one or more wirelessdevices (e.g., the wireless device) camping in the cell/beam. In anexample, the one or more NTN configuration parameters may comprise atleast one or more ephemeris parameters (e.g., satellite ephemerisparameters or NTN ephemeris parameters), one or more common delay/TAparameters, a validity duration (or timer or window) for ULsynchronization, an epoch time, and/or one or more timing offsetparameters. For example, the one or more NTN configuration parametersmay enable a TA reporting.

In an example, the wireless device may maintain/calculate acell-specific timing offset, one or more beam-specific timing offsets,and/or a UE-specific timing offset (e.g., UE-specific K_Offset) based onthe one or more timing offset parameters and/or one or more MAC CEcommands and/or one or more RRC signaling. For example, the one or moretiming offset parameters may comprise a first timing offset (e.g.,Koffset in ServingCellConfigCommon). In some aspects, the first timingoffset may account for the maximum RTD of the cell/beam. For example,the wireless device may track/update/maintain the cell/beam-specifictiming offset based on receiving an update of the first timing offsetfrom the base station. For example, the wireless device may receive asecond timing offset (e.g., a Differential UE-Specific K_Offset MAC CE).The wireless device may update/track/maintain the UE-specific timingoffset based on the second timing offset and/or the cell-specific timingoffset.

In some examples, the one or more timing offset parameters mayconfigure/indicate a third timing offset. The wireless device (or thebase station) may set a MAC-specific timing offset (or a MAC layertiming offset), denoted by K-Mac, based on the third timing offset. Forexample, K-Mac may be 0, e.g., when the third timing offset is notindicated/configured. For example, in an NTN scenario with thetransparent NTN node, when the UL frame and the DL frame is aligned atthe base station, the third timing offset may be absent from the one ormore NTN configuration parameters or may be 0. In an example, as shownin FIG. 19B, the MAC-specific timing offset may indicate a portion ofthe propagation delay (e.g., the UE-gNB RTT) that the base station maypre-compensate (e.g., when the UL frame and the DL frame are not alignedat the base station), e.g., the third timing offset may indicate thedifference between the UL frame/configuration timing and the DLframe/configuration timing at the base station. As shown in FIG. 19B,the UL frame and DL frame may be aligned at a reference point on thefeeder link. For example, the reference point may be the NTN node, e.g.,the third timing offset is equal to the feeder link delay.

To maintain uplink orthogonality, transmissions from different wirelessdevices in a cell/beam (e.g., the first wireless device and the secondwireless device in FIG. 19B) may need to be time-aligned at the basestation and/or the NTN node (e.g., satellite). In an example, timealignment/synchronization may be achieved by using different timingadvance (TA) values at different wireless devices to compensate fortheir different propagation delays (or RTDs). As shown in FIG. 19B, thefirst wireless device may use the first TA value (e.g., TA_1) and thesecond wireless device may use the second TA value (TA_2).

For example, the wireless device may calculate/measure/maintain acurrent TA value (e.g., NTA) based on at least a combination of aclosed-loop TA procedure/control and/or an open-loop TAprocedure/control. The current TA value of the first wireless device maybe TA_1 and the current TA value of the second wireless device may beTA_2.

The closed-loop TA procedure/control may be based on receiving at leastone TA command (TAC) MAC CE from the base station. For example, the atleast one TAC CE may comprise a TA (or an absolute TA) command field ofa Msg 2 1312 (or a Msg B 1332). Upon (or in response to) reception of aTAC MAC CE for a TA group (TAG), e.g., the closed-loop TAprocedure/control, the wireless device may adjust uplink timing forPUSCH/SRS/PUCCH transmission on all the serving cells (e.g., comprisingthe serving cell) in the TAG. For example, the TAC MAC CE for a TAG mayindicate the change of the uplink timing relative to the current uplinktiming for the TAG. In an example, the wireless device may receive a Msg2 1312 (or a Msg B 1332) comprising a TA command filed or an absolute TAcommand field. In response to receiving the TA command (or the absoluteTAC MAC CE), the wireless device may initiate a TA value by an initialvalue based on the TA command. After initial access, a TAC MAC CE for aTAG may indicate adjustment of the TA value (e.g., a current TA value).For example, adjustment of the current TA value by a positive amount(received via TAC MAC CE) may indicate advancing the uplink transmissiontiming for the TAG by a corresponding amount. For example, adjustment ofthe current TA value by a negative amount (received via TAC MAC CE) mayindicate delaying the uplink transmission timing for the TAG by acorresponding amount.

The base station may configure (e.g., via RRC) timeAlignmentTimer (perTAG) for the maintenance of UL time alignment. For example, thetimeAlignmentTimer may control how long the MAC entity considers theServing Cells belonging to the associated TAG to be uplink time aligned.In some cases, the timeAlignmentTimer may control how long the wirelessdevice is synchronized with the base station for ULtransmissions/communications. For example, by the expiry of thetimeAlignmentTimer, the wireless device may become unsynchronized (e.g.,out-of-sync) with the base station, e.g., for ULtransmissions/communications.

In an example, when a timeAlignmentTimer expires, the wireless devicemay, when the timeAlignmentTimer is associated with a primary TAG,perform at least one of the following: flush all HARQ buffers for allServing Cells; notify RRC to release PUCCH for all Serving Cells, ifconfigured; notify RRC to release SRS for all Serving Cells, ifconfigured;

clear any configured downlink assignments and configured uplink grants;clear any PUSCH resource for semi-persistent CSI reporting; consider allrunning timeAlignmentTimers as expired; maintain one or more current TAvalues of all TAGs.

In an example, when a timeAlignmentTimer expires, the wireless devicemay, when the timeAlignmentTimer is associated with a secondary TAG,perform at least one of the following: flush all HARQ buffers; notifyRRC to release PUCCH, if configured; notify RRC to release SRS, ifconfigured; clear any configured downlink assignments and configureduplink grants; clear any PUSCH resource for semi-persistent CSIreporting; and/or maintain a current TA value of this TAG.

In an example, the wireless device may not perform any uplinktransmission on a Serving Cell except the Random Access Preamble (e.g.,Msg 1 1311) and Msg A 1331 transmission when a timeAlignmentTimerassociated with the TAG to which this Serving Cell belongs is notrunning. In some aspect, when a timeAlignmentTimer associated with aprimary TAG is not running, the wireless device may not perform anyuplink transmission on any Serving Cell except the Random AccessPreamble (e.g., Msg 1 1311) and Msg A 1331 transmission on the SpCell.

The open-loop TA procedure/control may require a GNSS-acquired position(or location information) of the wireless device and/or receiving theone or more NTN configuration parameters, e.g., the one or moreephemeris parameters (e.g., the satellite ephemeris data), and/or theone or more common delay/TA parameters (e.g., the common TA value. Thewireless device may, based on an implemented orbitalpredictor/propagator model, may use the one or more ephemeris parameters(and/or the GNSS-acquired position) to measure/calculate/maintainmovement pattern of the satellite, estimate/measure the service linkdelay, and/or to adjust the current TA value via the open-loop TAprocedure/control. In an example, a combination of the closed-loop TAcontrol and the open-loop TA control may be based on adding/summing theopen-loop TA value (e.g., derived/calculated based on the open-loop TAprocedure/control) and the closed-loop TA value (or a portion of theclosed-loop TA procedure/control).

In an example, the wireless device may calculate/measure/estimate theUE-gNB RTT (or the RTD) based on the current TA value and the thirdtiming offset (e.g., K-Mac). For example, the UE-gNB RTT may be thesummation of the current TA value and K-Mac. In an example, if the thirdtiming offset is not indicated or when the K-Mac is 0, the wirelessdevice may determine/measure the UE-gNB RTT based on the current TAvalue, e.g., the UE-gNB RTT is equal to the current TA value. In anexample, the wireless device may maintain/calculate/update the open-loopTA value (or the UE-gNB RTT) over the validity duration. For example,the validity duration may indicate the validity period of the(satellite) ephemeris data/information and/or the one or more common TAparameters. In an example, the validity duration may specify/indicate amaximum period/window (e.g., corresponding to an orbitpredictor/propagator model the wireless device is using toestimate/calculate the propagation delay and/or a maximum tolerableerror in estimating/measuring/calculating the open-loop TA value) duringwhich the wireless device may not require to read/update/acquire thesatellite ephemeris data and/or to acquire the one or more NTN-specificSIBs. For example, upon or in response to acquiring the new (satellite)ephemeris data (or parameters) and/or the one or more NTN-specific SIBs,the wireless device may start/restart the validity duration based on theepoch time indicated by the one or more NTN configuration parameters. Inan example, in response to determining that the validity duration beingexpired, the wireless device may acquire the one or more NTN-specificSIBs to receive an updated (satellite) ephemeris data/information and/oran update of the one or more common TA parameters. In an example, uponthe expiry of the validity duration and when the wireless device is notable to acquire the one or more NTN-specific SIBs, the wireless devicemay become unsynchronized with the base station, e.g., for ULcommunication with the base station.

In some aspects, in response to receiving the one or more NTNconfiguration parameters (e.g., via acquiring the one or moreNTN-specific SIBs) and/or acquiring an updated GNSS-acquired position,the wireless device may calculate/measure/update the current TA valuevia the open-loop TA procedure/control. In another example, the wirelessdevice may update the current TA value based on the closed-loop TAprocedure/control, for example, based on receiving the one or more TACMAC CEs. In an example, based on the current TA value being updated, thewireless device may adjust (recalculate) the UE-gNB RTT. In an example,based on receiving a new third timing offset, the wireless device mayset K-Mac and adjust (recalculate) the UE-gNB RTT. In another example,the wireless device may periodically calculate/measure/update thecurrent TA value. For example, the wireless device may, prior toperforming an uplink transmission, calculate/measure/update the currentTA value.

In an example, the wireless device may set the common TA/delay by zeroin response to determining that the one or more common TA/delayparameters are absent from the one or more NTN configuration message.For example, when the reference point is located at the NTN node (e.g.,the third timing offset is equal to the feeder link delay), the commonTA/delay may be zero. In another example, for an NTN with thetransparent payload, when the UL timing synchronization is held at theNTN node (e.g., the UL and DL frames are aligned at the base station),the wireless device may not pre-compensate the common TA.

In an example, the wireless device with GNSS capability may requireestimating the propagation delay (or the service link delay) based onone or more measurements. For example, the one or more measurements mayindicate the GNSS-acquired location information (position) of thewireless device. In an example, the one or more measurements may allowthe wireless device to calculate/estimate the propagation delay (or theopen-loop TA value) using the GNSS-acquired position and the (satellite)ephemeris data/information. In another example, the one or moremeasurements may allow the wireless devices to estimate/calculate thepropagation delay via one or more timestamps (e.g., the timestamp of aconfigured broadcast signal) and/or the epoch time. In an example, theone or more measurements may allow the wireless device toestimate/measure a variation rate by which the common TA and/or theservice link delay changes over a period.

A base station may transmit a MAC CE command (e.g., TAC MAC CE command,PUCCH spatial relation activation/deactivation command, a CSI-RSresource set activation/deactivation, or the like) to a wireless device.For example, the base station may transmit a transport block (TB),comprising the MAC CE command, to the wireless device. For example, thebase station may transmit a PDSCH transmission, comprising/carrying theMAC CE command, to the wireless device. In an example, the MAC CEcommand (or the transport block comprising the MAC CE command) may beassociated with (or correspond to) a HARQ process. In existingtechnologies, an application time (or an performance time or animplementation time) of the MAC CE command (e.g., a time/symbol/slot orsubframe for applying/performing/implementing the MAC CE commandupon/after/once receiving the MAC CE command), at the wireless deviceand/or the base station, may be based on a transmission occasion/time(e.g., a slot, symbol, or subframe) used/determined/identified fortransmission of a HARQ feedback (e.g., an acknowledgement or a HARQ-ACK)of the MAC CE command (or the TB or the PDSCH) associated with (orcorresponding with) the HARQ process. For example, the wireless devicemay apply the MAC CE command X milliseconds (e.g., 3 milliseconds), or Nsubframes (e.g., 3 subframes), after/from a transmission time/occasionof the HARQ feedback. The wireless device may, for example,alter/adjust/update/implement at least one configuration (or perform atleast one operational adjustment) in response to applying the MAC CEcommand. For example, the at least one configuration may be an ULconfiguration/behavior/assumption (e.g., timing advance or a PUCCHspatial filter) of the wireless device. For example, the at least oneconfiguration may be a DL configuration/behavior/assumption (e.g., a DRXoperation or a CSI-RS resource set activation/deactivation) of thewireless device.

In existing technologies, when the base station and the wireless deviceoperate in an NTN scenario (e.g., the base station is an NTN basestation) with long propagation delay (e.g., 20-40 ms in LEO satellite orapproximately 600 ms in GEO satellite), the base station may disable theHARQ feedback of the HARQ process (e.g., feedback-disabled HARQprocess). For example, the base station may blindly retransmit the MACCE command to improve likelihood of a successful decoding of the MAC CEcommand (or the TB) at the wireless device (and/or to improve datatransmission latency, and/or to improve the spectral efficiency, e.g.,by reusing the HARQ process for transmitting a new TB). The wirelessdevice may, based on the HARQ feedback of the HARQ process beingdisabled, not transmit the HARQ feedback when the wireless devicereceives the MAC CE command (e.g., when the wireless device successfullydecodes the transport block comprising the MAC CE command) correspondingto the HARQ process. In existing technologies, the wireless device andthe base station may encounter difficulties for determining/identifyingthe application time of the MAC CE command corresponding to thefeedback-disabled HARQ process. The wireless device may furtherencounter difficulty to determine whether the MAC CE command is expectedto be retransmitted or not. For example, the base station may encounterambiguity to determine based on which transmission of the MAC CE command(e.g., an initial transmission or a retransmission of the MAC CE command(or the TB or the PDSCH)) the wireless device applies the MAC CEcommand. The ambiguity in determining the application time of the MAC CEcommand may result in a misalignment between the wireless device and thebase station. For example, the base station may, based on transmittingthe MAC CE command, start communicating with the wireless device usingan altered configuration (e.g., the at least one configuration) whilethe wireless device has not been using the altered configuration. Thismisalignment may reduce spectral efficiency and/or increase datatransmission latency of the wireless device.

When the wireless device and the base station are operating in an NTN,there is a need to improve determination of the application time of theMAC CE command. This may reduce possibility of misalignment between thewireless device and the base station for UL/DL transmissions.

Example embodiments of the present disclosure may allow the wirelessdevice (and/or the base station) to determine an application time of aMAC CE command, corresponding to the feedback disabled HARQ process(e.g., the HARQ feedback of the HARQ process being disabled). This mayreduce possibility of misalignment between the wireless device and thebase station for UL/DL transmissions. In an example embodiment, based onreceiving the MAC CE command corresponding to the feedback disabled HARQprocess, the wireless device may apply the MAC CE command after a timeduration from/after receiving the MAC CE command. In an example, thewireless device (and/or the base station) may wait for anyretransmissions of the MAC CE command, during the time duration, beforeapplying the MAC CE command. For example, based on the HARQ feedback theHARQ process being disabled, the wireless device may determine theapplication time of the MAC CE command after/from the time durationfrom/after receiving the MAC CE command. Based on the HARQ feedback theHARQ process being disabled, the base station may determine theapplication time of the MAC CE command after/from the time durationfrom/after transmitting the MAC CE command. Some example embodiments ofthe present disclosure may improve the alignment for UL/DL transmissionsbetween the wireless device and/or the base station.

In an example embodiment, in response to receiving the MAC CE command,corresponding to the feedback disabled HARQ process, the wireless devicemay, for determining the application time of the MAC CE command,determine whether the MAC CE command being retransmitted or not (e.g.,during the time duration from/after receiving the MAC CE command). In anexample, based on an indication of the MAC CE command, the wirelessdevice (and/or the base station) may determine the application time ofthe MAC CE command and/or whether the MAC CE command being retransmittedor not. For example, the indication may be indicated by the MAC CEcommand, e.g., an index indicating a number of retransmissions of theMAC CE command that is left (or performed). For example, the indicationmay indicate the MAC CE command being (blindly) retransmitted. In somecases, the indication may enable one or more (blind) retransmission ofthe MAC CE command. In some other cases, the indication may indicate thetime duration. The indication may be preconfigured (e.g., by the one ormore configuration parameters). In some implementations, the indicationmay indicate the HARQ process (e.g., a number/ID of the HARQ process).

In an example embodiment, the wireless device (and/or the base station)may, for determining the application time of the MAC CE command,determine the MAC CE command not being retransmitted during the timeduration. For example, in response to not receiving any of theretransmissions (or receiving no retransmission) of the MAC CE commandduring the time duration from/after receiving the MAC CE command, thewireless device may apply the MAC CE command based on (or at/in orusing) the application time. In an example, in response to nottransmitting any of the retransmissions (or receiving no retransmission)of the MAC CE command during the time duration from/after transmittingthe MAC CE command, the base station may apply the MAC CE command basedon (or at/in or using) the application time.

In an example embodiment, the time duration may (or may not) be based onthe processing time of the physical layer of the wireless device, and/orthe processing time of the MAC layer of the wireless device, and/or anoffset of the NTN (e.g., K-Mac). In some examples, the time duration(e.g., in milliseconds, or slots, or symbols, or subframes) may bepredefined (e.g., hardcoded or specified by a specification of the 3GPPstandards) or preconfigured (e.g., the one or more configurationparameters may indicate/configure the time duration). In some otherexamples, the time duration may be based on a PUCCH resource/occasion(e.g., slot/subframe) corresponding to a transmission time of the HARQfeedback.

In an example, the wireless device may receive, during the time durationfrom/after receiving the MAC CE command, a first DL messagecorresponding to the HARQ process. For example, the first DL message maybe a DCI scheduling transmission of a second transport block. Forexample, the first DL message may be a DL data transmission (e.g., aconfigured DL assignment or a semi-persistent scheduling in DL). Forexample, the second transport block may be different than the transportblock. In an example embodiment, the wireless device may, in response toreceiving the first DL message, apply the MAC CE command, e.g., when thefirst DL message (e.g., the DCI or the DL data transmission) is receivedand/or when the second transport block is received/decoded. For example,based on the HARQ feedback of the HARQ process being disabled and thefirst DL message not indicating a retransmission of the MAC CE command,the wireless device may determine the application time of the MAC CEcommand in response to receiving the first DL message. For example,based on the HARQ feedback of the HARQ process being disabled and thefirst DL message not indicating a retransmission of the MAC CE command,the base station may determine the application time of the MAC CEcommand in response to transmitting the first DL message. Some exampleembodiments may improve the alignment for UL/DL transmissions betweenthe wireless device and/or the base station, e.g., based on determiningthe MAC CE command not being retransmitted and/or the HARQ processingbeing used for a new DL transmission (e.g., the DL data transmission).

In an example, the wireless device may receive, from the base station,at least one DL transmission of the MAC CE command. The wireless device(and/or the base station) may determine the application time of the MACCE command based on the HARQ feedback of the HARQ process being disabledand the at least one DL transmission of the MAC CE command. For example,the application time of the MAC CE command may be based on afirst/initial/earliest/starting DL transmission of the MAC CE commandamong/from the at least one DL transmission of the MAC CE command. Forexample, the application time of the MAC CE command may be based on alast/final/ending/latest DL transmission of the MAC CE commandamong/from the at least one DL transmission of the MAC CE command. Forexample, the application time of the MAC CE command may be based on theindication of the MAC CE command. In some cases, the indication mayindicate a DL transmission of the MAC CE command among/from the at leastone DL transmission of the MAC CE command for applying the MAC CEcommand. Some example embodiments of the present disclosure may improvethe alignment for UL/DL transmissions between the wireless device and/orthe base station, e.g., based on determining the DL transmission of theMAC CE command among/from the at least one DL transmission of the MAC CEcommand for applying the MAC CE command.

FIG. 20 shows an example embodiment of a method that supportscommunication between a wireless device and a base station as per anaspect of the present disclosure. The method of FIG. 20 may beimplemented at the wireless device and/or the base station. The basestation may communicate with the wireless device. The wireless devicemay, for example, communicate with the base station via anon-terrestrial network (NTN), e.g., the wireless device and the basestation may operate in the NTN and/or the base station may be an NTNbase station. For example, the wireless device may be in anRRC_CONNECTED state/mode or an RRC IDLE state/mode or an RRC INACTIVEstate/mode. The wireless device may, for example, communicate with thebase station after performing an initial access. In some cases, thewireless device may communicate with the base station during the initialaccess and/or during a handover procedure.

As shown in FIG. 20 , the wireless device may receive a MAC CE command,from the base station, at time T1. For example, the wireless device mayreceive a transport block (TB), from the base station, at time T1. TheTB may comprise the MAC CE command. In an example, the transmission ofthe MAC CE command may comprise/be a PDSCH (e.g., with repetition)transmission with/carrying/comprising the MAC CE command or aslot-aggregated PDSCH transmission with/carrying/comprising the MAC CEcommand.

The wireless device may, based on receiving the MAC CE command (e.g.,the TB comprising the MAC CE command), identify/determine a HARQ processthat corresponds to (or is associated with) the MAC CE command (or theTB comprising the MAC CE command). The wireless device may receive a DCIscheduling/triggering/indicating transmission of the MAC CE command. TheDCI may comprise a field (e.g., HARQ process number), e.g., with avalue, indicating the index/number/ID of the HARQ process. The wirelessdevice may determine the HARQ process that corresponds to (or isassociated with) the MAC CE command, for example, based on the DCI, thatschedules/triggers/indicates transmission of the MAC CE command,comprising the field indicating the HARQ process.

In another example, the PDSCH (or the slot-aggregated PDSCH may bescheduled without corresponding PDCCH transmission using a DLsemi-persistent scheduling (SPS), e.g., a configured DL assignment usingsps-Config. In an example, the PDSCH reception may be a SPS PDSCHreception. For example, the DL SPS transmission may comprisetransmission of the MAC CE command. For example, when the PDSCH (or theslot-aggregated PDSCH), comprising the MAC CE command, is scheduledwithout the corresponding PDCCH transmission (e.g., using the DL SPS),the transmission of the MAC CE command may not bescheduled/indicated/triggered by a DCI. The wireless device maydetermine the index/number/ID of the HARQ process based on at least oneof: SFN, number of slots per frame, resources (e.g., slot and/orsubframe) that the transmission of the configured DL assignment isperformed, and/or the one or more configuration parameters (e.g.,SPS-Config), e.g., a harq-ProcID-Offset and/or a nrofHARQ-Processes.

As shown in FIG. 20 , a HARQ feedback of the HARQ process, correspondingto (or associated with) the MAC CE command, may be disabled (e.g., theHARQ process has disabled HARQ-ACK information or not have enabledHARQ-ACK information). In an example, the one or more configurationparameters (e.g., downlinkHARQ-FeedbackDisabled-r17 inPDSCH-ServingCellConfig) may (semi-statistically) indicate/configure theHARQ process as feedback disabled (e.g., indicate the HARQ feedback ofthe HARQ process being disable). In an example, the wireless device maydetermine/identify, e.g., based on the one or more configurationparameters (e.g., via downlinkHARQ-FeedbackDisabled-r17 inPDSCH-ServingCellConfig), the HARQ process being feedback disabled.

In some examples, the TB (comprising the MAC CE command) may be in afirst/initial/earliest/starting SPS PDSCH reception, e.g., after anactivation of SPS PDSCH receptions via a PDCCH. For example, when theone or more configuration parameters provide HARQ-feedbackEnablingforSPSactive, the wireless device may determine/consider the HARQ processassociated with the TB (comprising the MAC CE command) in thefirst/initial/earliest/starting SPS PDSCH reception to have enabledHARQ-ACK information. For example, the wireless device may transmit aHARQ-ACK information bit (e.g., the HARQ feedback) according to adecoding outcome for the TB in the first/initial/earliest/starting SPSPDSCH reception. For example, the wireless device may determine the HARQprocess having disabled HARQ-ACK information for one or more SPS PDCSCHreceptions after the first/initial/earliest/starting SPS PDSCHreception.

In an example embodiment, as shown in FIG. 20 , the wireless device mayapply the MAC CE command after a time duration (or a threshold time oran application delay) from/after receiving the MAC CE command. The basestation may apply the MAC CE command after the time duration from/aftertransmitting the MAC CE command.

The wireless device may start the time duration (e.g., with a unit ofmilliseconds, or slots, or symbols, or subframes), for example, fromreceiving the MAC CE command (e.g., the time duration between T1 to T2in FIG. 20 ). The time duration may start, for example, from receivingthe MAC CE command (e.g., after/from a last/final/ending/latest (DL)symbol of the PDSCH transmission or a last/final/ending/latest (DL)symbol of a last/final/ending/latest PDSCH transmission of theslot-aggregated PDSCH transmission).

In an example, the base station may start the time duration fromtransmitting the MAC CE command (e.g., after/from alast/final/ending/latest (DL) symbol of the PDSCH transmission or alast/final/ending/latest (DL) symbol of a last/final/ending/latest PDSCHtransmission of the slot-aggregated PDSCH transmission).

For example, based on the HARQ feedback of the HARQ process(corresponding to the MAC CE command) being disabled, the wirelessdevice (and/or the base station) may apply the MAC CE command after thetime duration. In some implementations, the wireless device (and/or thebase station) may wait for any retransmissions of the MAC CE commandduring the time duration. In some cases, the wireless device (and/or thebase station) may, before applying the MAC CE command at time T3 in FIG.20 , wait, during the time duration, for any retransmissions of the MACCE command. For example, the wireless device (and/or the base station)may, during the time duration, determine whether the MAC CE command isretransmitted or not.

In some implementations, the time duration may be predefined (e.g., viaspecifications of the 3GPP standard and/or hardcoded) for the wirelessdevice and/or the base station. In other implementations, the timeduration may be preconfigured. For example, the one or moreconfiguration parameters (e.g., the one or more RRC configurationparameters and/or the one or more NTN configuration parameters) mayindicate/configure the time duration. In an example, the wireless devicemay receive a DL message indicating/configuring the time duration. TheDL signal may be an RRC signaling (e.g., RRCconfiguration/reconfiguration signaling) and/or a MAC CE command (e.g.,the MAC CE command), and/or a DCI (e.g., the DCI scheduling thetransmission of the MAC CE command).

In some aspects, the time duration may be based on a processingcapability of the wireless device. For example, the time duration may bebased on a preparation/processing time of lower layers (e.g., thephysical layer) of the wireless device (e.g., Tproc1). For example, thetime duration may be larger than (or equal to or smaller than) thepreparation/processing time of lower layers (e.g., the physical layer)of the wireless device. In some examples, the time duration may be M(e.g., M>1, e.g., 2, 3, 4, or 10) times larger than thepreparation/processing time of lower layers (e.g., the physical layer)of the wireless device, e.g., M*Tproc1. In another example, the timeduration may be based on a processing time of higher layers of thewireless device (e.g., the MAC layer), e.g., X ms (e.g., 3 ms) or Nsubframes (e.g., 3 subframes). In some cases, the time duration may belarger than (or smaller than or equal to) the processing time of higherlayers (e.g., the MAC layer)of the wireless device. For example, thetime duration may be L (e.g., L>1, e.g., 2, 3, 4, or 10) times largerthan the processing time of higher layers (e.g., the MAC layer) of thewireless device, e.g., L*X ms (e.g., L*3 ms) or L*N subframes (e.g., L*3subframes).

In an example, the time duration may be based on a(predefined/preconfigured) time gap. For example, the one or moreconfiguration parameters may configure/indicate the time gap. The timegap may indicate/configure a minimum time distance (e.g., inmilliseconds, or in slots, or in symbols) between reception of twoconsecutive DL transmissions (and/or UL transmissions). In some cases,the two consecutive DL transmissions may correspond to the HARQ process.Each DL transmission of the two consecutive DL transmissions maycorrespond to the HARQ process. For example, the time gap may be basedon a numerology, e.g., numerology of the two consecutive DLtransmissions or a numerology of one of the two consecutive DLtransmissions (e.g., minimum/maximum numerology/subcarrier spacing).

The two consecutive DL transmissions may, for example, comprise a firstDL data transmission (e.g., a first PDSCH or a first slot-aggregatedPDSCH) and a second DL data transmission (e.g., a second PDSCH or asecond slot-aggregated PDSCH). The second DL data transmission may occurafter the first DL data transmission. For example, the time distancebetween the second DL data transmission and the first DL datatransmission may be at least the time gap. In an example, afirst/initial/starting/earliest (DL) symbol of the second DL datatransmission (or a first/initial/starting/earliest (DL) symbol of afirst/initial/starting/earliest PDSCH of the second slot-aggregatedPDSCH) may be the at least the time gap ahead/away/apart from alast/final/ending/latest (DL) symbol of the first DL data transmission(or a last/final/ending/latest (DL) symbol of a last/final/ending/latestPDSCH of the second slot-aggregated PDSCH). The first DL datatransmission and the second DL data transmission may both correspond tothe HARQ process. For example, during the time gap, the HARQ process maynot be (re)used for any other DL transmission (excluding the first DLdata transmission and the second DL data transmission). In some cases,during a window between the reception time of the first DL datatransmission and the reception time of the second DL data transmission,the HARQ process may not be (re)used for any other DL transmission(excluding the first DL data transmission and the second DL datatransmission).

In some examples, the two consecutive DL transmissions may comprise thefirst DL data transmission and a DCI. For example, the DCI mayschedule/indicate transmission of the second DL data transmission. TheDCI may indicate the HARQ process, e.g., via a field indicating theindex/number/ID of the HARQ process. In an example, afirst/initial/starting/earliest (DL) symbol of a PDCCH with/carrying theDCI may be at least the time gap ahead/away/apart from thelast/final/ending/latest (DL) symbol of the first DL data transmission(or the last/final/ending/latest (DL) symbol of thelast/final/ending/latest PDSCH of the second slot-aggregated PDSCH). Forexample, during the time between the reception of the first DL datatransmission and the reception of the DCI, the wireless device may notreceive another DCI indicating another DL data transmissioncorresponding to the HARQ process.

In some implementations, the time duration may be based on an offset,e.g., the offset of the NTN. The one or more configuration parameters(e.g., the one or more NTN configuration parameters) mayindicate/configure the offset. In one implementation, the offset may bethe third timing offset (e.g., K-Mac). For example, when the UL/DLframes/configurations are not aligned at the base station, the one ormore configuration parameters (e.g., the one or more NTN configurationparameters) may indicate/configure the third timing offset. In anotherimplementation, the offset may be the UE-specific timing offset (e.g., aUE-specific Koffset) and/or the cell-specific timing offset (e.g., acell-specific Koffset). In another implementation, the offset may be aTA of the wireless device (TA). In another implementation, the offsetmay be the UE-gNB RTT or a common TA/delay of the wireless device.

In some examples, the time duration may be based on (or depend on)whether the MAC CE command being for (or related to or associated withor correspond to or targeted for) the ULconfiguration/behavior/assumption of the wireless device or the DLconfiguration/behavior/assumption of the wireless device. For example,the wireless device (and/or the base station) may determine theapplication time of the MAC CE command based on the time duration whenthe MAC CE command is for the UL configuration/behavior/assumption ofthe wireless device. In another example, the wireless device (and/or thebase station) may determine the application time of the MAC CE commandbased on the time duration when the MAC CE command is for the DLconfiguration/behavior/assumption of the wireless device. For example,the wireless device (and/or the base station) may not determine theapplication time of the MAC CE command based on the time duration whenthe MAC CE command is for the UL configuration/behavior/assumption ofthe wireless device. In another example, the wireless device (and/or thebase station) may not determine the application time of the MAC CEcommand based on the time duration when the MAC CE command is for the DLconfiguration/behavior/assumption of the wireless device. For example,the wireless device (and/or the base station) may or may not determinethe application time of the MAC CE command based on the time durationwhen the MAC CE command is for the UL configuration/behavior/assumptionof the wireless device. In another example, the wireless device (and/orthe base station) may or may not determine the application time of theMAC CE command based on the time duration when the MAC CE command is forthe DL configuration/behavior/assumption of the wireless device.

For example, the MAC CE command may be for the ULconfiguration/behavior/assumption when it indicates analteration/change/update (or an adjustment or an adaption) of an ULconfiguration/behavior/assumption of the wireless device (e.g., TAC MACCE or a PUCCH spatial relation activation/deactivation MAC CE), whereinthe UL configuration/behavior/assumption is indicated by the MAC CEcommand. In an example, the MAC CE command may be for the ULconfiguration when it indicates at least one communication parameter(e.g., TA indicated by an (absolute) TA command, or one or more triggerstate fields indicated by Aperiodic CSI Trigger State Subselection MACCE, or the like) corresponding to the ULconfiguration/behavior/assumption of the wireless device.

For example, the MAC CE command may be for the DLconfiguration/behavior/assumption when it indicates analteration/change/update (or an adjustment or an adaption) of a DLconfiguration/behavior/assumption of the wireless device (e.g., a CSI-RSresource set activation/deactivation, or a differential Koffset MAC CEcommand, or the like), wherein the DL configuration/behavior/assumptionis indicated by the MAC CE command. In an example, the MAC CE commandmay be for the DL configuration when it indicates at least onecommunication parameter (e.g., one or more fields indicated by TCIStates Activation/Deactivation for UE-specific PDSCH MAC CE, or aCORESET set ID indicated by a TCI State Indication for UE-specific PDCCHMAC CE) corresponding to the DL configuration/behavior/assumption of thewireless device.

In some cases, determining, by the wireless device and/or the basestation, whether the MAC CE command being for the DLconfiguration/behavior/assumption or for the ULconfiguration/behavior/assumption may be predefined (e.g., based on aspecification of the 3GPP standard).

In one implementation, the time duration may (or may not) be based onthe K-Mac, when the MAC CE command is for the DLconfiguration/behavior/assumption of the wireless device. In anotherimplementation, the time duration may (or may not) be based on theK-Mac, when the MAC CE command is for the ULconfiguration/behavior/assumption of the wireless device.

For example, the wireless device may, based on applying the MAC CEcommand, alter/adjust/update a configuration/behavior/assumption of thewireless device (e.g., the UL configuration/behavior/assumption of thewireless device or the DL configuration/behavior/assumption of thewireless device. In some implementations, the wireless device may, basedon applying the MAC CE command, implement the at least one communicationparameter (e.g., one or more fields indicated by TCI StatesActivation/Deactivation for UE-specific PDSCH MAC CE, or the CORESET setID indicated by the TCI State Indication for UE-specific PDCCH MAC CE)corresponding to the DL configuration/behavior/assumption of thewireless device. In other implementations, the wireless device may,based on applying the MAC CE command, implement the at least onecommunication parameter (e.g., TA indicated by the (absolute) TAcommand, or the one or more trigger state fields indicated by AperiodicCSI Trigger State Subselection MAC CE, or the like) corresponding to theUL configuration/behavior/assumption of the wireless device.

In some aspects, the base station may, based on applying the MAC CEcommand alter/adjust/update a configuration/behavior/assumptionassociated with the wireless device (e.g., the ULconfiguration/behavior/assumption of the wireless device or the DLconfiguration/behavior/assumption of the wireless device).

In some aspects, the time duration may be based on a resource occasion,in time domain, (e.g., a slot or a symbol or a subframe) of (orcorresponding to) the HARQ feedback of the HARQ process. For example,the wireless device (and/or the base station) may determine the resourceoccasion (e.g., PUCCH resource/occasion), in time domain, of the HARQfeedback of the HARQ process to determine the time duration. Theresource occasion may, for example, based on the HARQ process beingfeedback disabled, be a virtual or default resource occasion for theHARQ feedback of the HARQ process.

In an example, the one or more configuration parameters indicate (orprovide the wireless device with) pdsch-HARQ-ACK-Codebook=semi-static.For example, the one or more configuration parameters(HARQ-feedbackEnabling-disablingperHARQprocess) may indicate disabledHARQ-ACK information for the HARQ process (e.g., the HARQ feedback ofthe HARQ process being disabled). The wireless device may, for example,using the resource occasion, report/transmit NACK value (e.g.,regardless of whether the TB is successfully decoded or not) for aHARQ-ACK information bit corresponding to the TB in a Type-1 HARQ-ACKcodebook.

In one example, the resource occasion may correspond to an occasion(e.g., slot/symbol/subframe) of/in/at the DL configuration, e.g., priorto applying the TA of the wireless device. For example, the resourceoccasion may be a PUCCH occasion/resource in/of/at the DL configurationthat is at least Koffset (e.g., the UE-specific Koffset or thecell-specific Koffset) after the reception time (e.g., alast/final/ending/latest symbol of the PDSCH or alast/final/ending/latest symbol of a last/final/ending/lates PDSCHof/among the slot-aggregated PDSCH) of the MAC CE command at time T1 inFIG. 20 .

In another example, the resource occasion may correspond to an occasion(e.g., slot/symbol/subframe) of/in/at the UL configuration, e.g., theoccasion of the DL configuration after applying the TA of the wirelessdevice. For example, the PUCCH resource/occasion in/of/at the DLconfiguration may be adjusted by subtracting the TA of the wirelessdevice to determine the occasion of/in/at the UL configuration.

In an example, when the transmission of the MAC CE command isscheduled/indicated by a DCI, the wireless device (and/or the basestation) may determine the resource occasion of the HARQ feedback of theHARQ process based on the DCI. The DCI may, for example, comprise afield, or a field with a value, (e.g., PDSCH-to-HARQ_feedback timingindicator) indicating the resource occasion of the HARQ feedback of theHARQ process. In another example, when transmission of the MAC CEcommand comprises (or is for) the configured DL assignment, the wirelessdevice (and/or the base station) may determine the resource occasion ofthe HARQ feedback of the HARQ process, e.g., based on the one or moreconfiguration parameters (e.g., SPS-Config).

In an example embodiment, as shown in FIG. 20 , the wireless device mayapply the MAC CE command at the application time of the MAC CE command(e.g., at time T3). In one implementation, the wireless device maydetermine the application time of the MAC CE command N subframes (e.g.,3 subframes) or X milliseconds (e.g., 3 milliseconds) after/from thetime duration from receiving the MAC CE command. For example, the timeduration may not be based the offset (e.g., K-Mac). In another example,the time duration may not be based on the processing time of thephysical layer of the wireless device and/or the processing time of theMAC layer of the wireless device. In another implementation, when theMAC CE command is for the DL configuration/assumption/behavior of thewireless device, the wireless device may determine the application timeof the MAC CE N1 subframes (or X1 milliseconds) after/from the timeduration from receiving the MAC CE command. For example, N1 is equal toa summation of N and K-Mac (in subframes). For example, X1 is equal to asummation of X and K-Mac (in milliseconds). In another implementation,when the MAC CE command is for the UL configuration/assumption/behaviorof the wireless device, the wireless device may determine theapplication time of the MAC CE N subframes (or X milliseconds)after/from the time duration from receiving the MAC CE command. Forexample, the wireless device may determine the MAC CE command not beingretransmitted during the time duration. For example, in response to notreceiving any of the retransmissions (or receiving no retransmission) ofthe MAC CE command during the time duration, the wireless device mayapply the MAC CE command based on (or at/on or using) the applicationtime (e.g., at time T3 in FIG. 20 ).

In one implementation, the base station may determine the applicationtime of the MAC CE command N subframes (e.g., 3 subframes) or Xmilliseconds (e.g., 3 milliseconds) after/from the time duration fromtransmitting the MAC CE command. For example, the time duration may notbe based the offset (e.g., K-Mac). In another example, the time durationmay not be based on the processing time of the physical layer of thewireless device and/or the processing time of the MAC layer of thewireless device. In another implementation, when the MAC CE command isfor the DL configuration/assumption/behavior of the wireless device, thebase station may determine the application time of the MAC CE N1subframes (or X1 milliseconds) after/from the time duration fromtransmitting the MAC CE command. In another implementation, when the MACCE command is for the UL configuration/assumption/behavior of thewireless device, the base station may determine the application time ofthe MAC CE N subframes (or X milliseconds) after/from the time durationfrom transmitting the MAC CE command. For example, the base station maydetermine the MAC CE command not being retransmitted during the timeduration. In an example embodiment, the base station may apply the MACCE command at the application time of the MAC CE command. For example,in response to not transmitting any of the retransmissions (ortransmitting no retransmission) of the MAC CE command during the timeduration, the base station may apply the MAC CE command based on (orat/on or using) the application time.

In some implementations, the wireless device may determine theapplication time of the MAC CE command based on whether the MAC CEcommand is retransmitted during the time duration or not. In an example,in response to receiving one or more retransmissions of the MAC CEcommand during the time duration, the wireless device may apply the MACCE command based on (or at/on or using) the application time (e.g., attime T3 in FIG. 20 ). In some cases, the wireless device may restart thetime duration based on receiving each retransmission of the MAC CEcommand among/from the one or more retransmissions of the MAC CEcommand. In some other cases, the wireless device may not restart thetime duration based on receiving each retransmission of the MAC CEcommand among/from the one or more retransmissions of the MAC CEcommand.

In some implementations, the base station may determine the applicationtime of the MAC CE command based on whether the MAC CE command isretransmitted during the time duration or not. In an example, inresponse to transmitting the one or more retransmissions of the MAC CEcommand during the time duration, the base station may apply the MAC CEcommand based on (or at/on or using) the application time. In somecases, the base station may restart the time duration based ontransmitting each retransmission of the MAC CE command among/from theone or more retransmissions of the MAC CE command. In some other cases,the base station may not restart the time duration based on transmittingeach retransmission of the MAC CE command among/from the one or moreretransmissions of the MAC CE command.

In an example, the wireless device may receive a retransmission of theMAC CE command within the time duration from receiving the MAC CEcommand. The wireless device may, for example, wait for a second timeduration, for any retransmission of the MAC CE command, before applyingthe MAC CE command. In some cases, the second time duration may be thetime duration. In some other cases, the second time duration may beshorter (or longer) than the time duration. In some implementations, thewireless device may apply the MAC CE command based on receiving theretransmission of the MAC CE command.

In some examples, the wireless device may determine the application timeof the MAC CE command after/from the time duration from receiving theMAC CE command (or after/from the second time duration from receivingthe retransmission of the MAC CE command). For example, the timeduration (and/or the second time duration) may be based the offset(e.g., K-Mac). In another example, the time duration (and/or the secondtime duration) may be based on the processing time of the physical layerof the wireless device and/or the processing time of the MAC layer ofthe wireless device. In some implementations, the application time ofthe MAC CE command may be the time duration ahead/from receiving the MACCE command (or the second time duration ahead/from receiving theretransmission of the MAC CE command). In an example embodiment, thewireless device may, e.g., for determining the application time of theMAC CE command, determine the MAC CE command not being retransmittedduring the time duration (and/or the second time duration). In anexample embodiment, in response to not receiving any of theretransmissions (or receiving no retransmission) of the MAC CE commandduring the time duration from/after receiving the MAC CE command (orduring the second time duration from/after receiving the retransmissionof the MAC CE command), the wireless device may apply the MAC CE commandbased on (or at/on or using) the application time (e.g., at time T3 inFIG. 20 ).

In an example, the base station may transmit the retransmission of theMAC CE command within the time duration from transmitting the MAC CEcommand. The base station may, for example, wait for the second timeduration, for any retransmission of the MAC CE command, before applyingthe MAC CE command. In some examples, the base station may determine theapplication time of the MAC CE command after/from the time duration fromtransmitting the MAC CE command (or after/from the second time durationfrom transmitting the retransmission of the MAC CE command). In someimplementations, the application time of the MAC CE command may be thetime duration ahead/from transmitting the MAC CE command (or the secondtime duration ahead/from transmitting the retransmission of the MAC CEcommand). In an example embodiment, the base station may, e.g., fordetermining the application time of the MAC CE command, determine theMAC CE command not being retransmitted during the time duration (and/orthe second time duration). In an example embodiment, in response to nottransmitting any of the retransmissions (or transmitting noretransmission) of the MAC CE command during the time durationfrom/after transmitting the MAC CE command (or during the second timeduration from/after transmitting the retransmission of the MAC CEcommand), the base station may apply the MAC CE command based on (orat/on or using) the application time.

Some example embodiments, e.g., the method of FIG. 20 , may improve thealignment between the wireless device and the base station bydetermining the application time of the MAC CE command. In some cases,the method of FIG. 20 may reduce possibility (or likelihood) ofmisalignment between the wireless device and the base station for UL/DLtransmissions. For example, after receiving the MAC CE by the wirelessdevice, the method of FIG. 20 may reduce misalignment between thewireless device and the base station for UL/DL transmissions when theMAC CE command corresponds to a HARQ process that is feedback disabled.For example, the method of FIG. 20 may reduce misalignment between thewireless device and the base station for UL/DL transmissions when theMAC CE command is (or is not) blindly transmitted (or retransmitted) bythe base station.

FIG. 21 shows a flowchart illustrating a method that supportscommunication between a wireless device and a base station as per anaspect of the present disclosure. The method of FIG. 21 may beimplemented at the wireless device and/or the base station. The basestation may communicate with the wireless device. The wireless devicemay, for example, communicate with the base station via anon-terrestrial network (NTN), e.g., the wireless device and the basestation may operate in the NTN and/or the base station may be an NTNbase station. For example, the wireless device may be in anRRC_CONNECTED state/mode or an RRC IDLE state/mode or an RRC INACTIVEstate/mode. The wireless device may, for example, communicate with thebase station after performing an initial access. In some cases, thewireless device may communicate with the base station during the initialaccess and/or during a handover procedure.

As shown in FIG. 21 , the wireless device may receive the MAC CEcommand, from the base station. In some examples, the base station maytransmit the TB comprising the MAC CE command. In some examples, thetransmission of the MAC CE command may comprise/be the PDSCH (e.g., withrepetition) transmission with/carrying/comprising the MAC CE command orthe slot-aggregated PDSCH transmission with/carrying/comprising the MACCE command. In an example, the MAC CE command (or the TB comprising theMAC CE command or the PDSCH or the slot-aggregated PDSCH) may correspondthe HARQ process. As shown in FIG. 21 , the HARQ feedback of the HARQprocess, corresponding to (or associated with) the MAC CE command, maybe disabled, e.g., the HARQ process may be a feedback-disabled HARQprocess. For example, the wireless device may determine/identify theHARQ feedback of the HARQ process being disabled.

In an example embodiment, as shown in FIG. 21 , the wireless device(and/or the base station) may determine the application time of the MACCE command based on the MAC CE command being associated (or correspondwith) the feedback-disabled HARQ process (e.g., the HARQ feedback of theHARQ process being disabled or the HARQ process has the disable HARQ-ACKinformation). For example, the wireless device (and/or the base station)may determine whether the MAC CE command is retransmitted or not. Asshown in FIG. 21 , the wireless device (and/or the base station) mayapply the MAC CE command based on the application time of the MAC CEcommand. The wireless device may communicate with the base station basedon the applied MAC CE command. For example, determining whether the MACCE command is retransmitted or not may be based on determining, by thewireless device, whether or not during the time duration, from/afterreceiving the MAC CE command, the MAC CE command is retransmitted ornot. For example, determining whether the MAC CE command isretransmitted or not may be based on determining, by the base station,whether or not during the time duration, from/after transmitting the MACCE command, the MAC CE command is retransmitted or not.

In some cases, based on an indication, the wireless device (and/or thebase station) may determine whether the MAC CE command is retransmittedor not. For example, the indication may be indicated by the MAC CEcommand. For example, the MAC CE command may comprise a field indicatingthe indication. In some cases, a DCI scheduling/indicating transmissionof the MAC CE command may comprise a field indicating the indication.

In some implementations, the indication may be based on the HARQ process(e.g., the index/number/ID of the HARQ process), e.g., whether the HARQprocess is feedback disabled or not. For some examples, the indicationmay be based on a HARQ-ACK codebook (e.g., pdsch-HARQ-ACK-Codebook),e.g., whether the type of the HARQ-ACK codebook is a Type-1 HARQ-ACKcodebook, a Type-2 HARQ-ACK codebook, or a Type-3 HARQ-ACK codebook. Forexample, the indication may be based on whether or not the one or moreconfiguration parameters indicate (or configure/provide the wirelessdevice with) pdsch-HARQ-ACK-Codebook=semi-static. In some other cases,the indication may be based on whether or not the one or moreconfiguration parameters indicate (or configure/provide the wirelessdevice with) pdsch-HARQ-ACK-Codebook=dynamic orpdsch-HARQ-ACK-Codebook-r16. In some examples, the indication may bebased on whether or not the one or more configuration parametersindicate (or configure/provide the wireless device with)HARQ-feedbackEnablingforSPSactive. In some examples, the indication maybe based on whether or not the MAC CE command reception is based on thefirst/initial/starting/earliest SPS PDSCH reception.

In some cases, the indication may be an index indicating a number ofretransmissions of the MAC CE command that is left (or performed). In anexample embodiment, the wireless device (and/or the base station) maydetermine the application time of the MAC CE command based on the HARQfeedback of the HARQ process being disabled and the indicationindicating the number of retransmissions of the MAC CE command that isleft (or performed).

In some cases, the number of retransmissions of the MAC CE command thatis left may be more than zero. The wireless device (and/or the basestation) may wait for the remined retransmissions of the MAC CE command(e.g., the number of retransmissions of the MAC CE command that is leftbecomes zero) for applying the MAC CE command (e.g., for determining theapplication time of the MAC CE command).

In some other cases, the number of retransmissions of the MAC CE commandthat is performed may be smaller than a (predefined/preconfigured)threshold. The wireless device (and/or the base station) may wait forthe remined retransmissions of the MAC CE command (e.g., the number ofretransmissions of the MAC CE command that is performed becomes thethreshold) for applying the MAC CE command (e.g., for determining theapplication time of the MAC CE command). In some examples, the one ormore configuration parameters may indicate/configure the threshold.

In some examples, the indication may enable/configure/indicate one ormore (blind) retransmissions of the MAC CE command. In an exampleembodiment, the wireless device (and/or the base station) may determinethe application time of the MAC CE command based on the HARQ feedback ofthe HARQ process being disabled and the indication enabling/configuringthe one or more (blind) retransmissions of the MAC CE command. In somecases, the wireless device (and/or the base station) may, for applyingthe MAC CE command, wait for the one or more (blind) retransmissions ofthe MAC CE command to be performed.

In some other examples, the indication may disable the one or more(blind) retransmissions of the MAC CE command. In an example embodiment,the wireless device (and/or the base station) may determine theapplication time of the MAC CE command based on the HARQ feedback of theHARQ process being disabled and the indication disabling the one or more(blind) retransmissions of the MAC CE command. In some cases, thewireless device (and/or the base station) may, for applying the MAC CEcommand, not wait for the one or more (blind) retransmissions of the MACCE command to be performed.

In some cases, the wireless device may transmit a capability to the basestation. The capability may, for example, be for supporting receivingthe MAC CE command, by the wireless device, corresponding to (or usingor via) the feedback-disabled HARQ process. For example, the capabilitymay indicate whether or not receiving the MAC CE command, by thewireless device, corresponding to the feedback-disabled HARQ process,being supported at/by the wireless device.

In some cases, the capability may be for a first set of MAC CE commands(e.g., comprising the MAC CE command) that are for the ULbehavior/assumption/configuration of the wireless device. In some othercases, the capability may be for a second set of MAC CE commands (e.g.,comprising the MAC CE command) that are for the DLbehavior/assumption/configuration of the wireless device. In someexamples, based on the one or more configuration parameters (e.g.,HARQ-feedbackEnabling-disablingperHARQprocess) configuring/indicatingfeedback enabled/disabled configuration of one or more HARQ processes(e.g., comprising the HARQ process), the wireless device mayreport/transmit the capability to the base station. In someimplementations, based on HARQ feedback of all configured HARQ processesnot being disabled (e.g., all configured HARQ processes being feedbackenabled), the wireless device may not report/transmit the capability tothe base station. In some other implementations, based on at least oneHARQ process among/from all the configured HARQ processes beingfeedback-disabled HARQ process, the wireless device may report/transmitthe capability to the base station.

In an example, the base station may, based on the capability, transmitthe MAC CE command associated with (or corresponding to) thefeedback-disabled HARQ process. In some implementations, the basestation may, based on the capability, transmit the MAC CE commandassociated with (or corresponding to) a feedback-enabled HARQ process.In other implementations, the base station may, based on not receivingthe capability, not transmit the MAC CE command associated with (orcorresponding to) the feedback-disabled HARQ process (e.g., bytransmitting the MAC CE command associated with (or corresponding to) afeedback-enabled HARQ process).

Some example embodiments of the present disclosure may improve thealignment for UL/DL transmissions between the wireless device and/or thebase station, e.g., based on determining the application time of the MACCE command when the MAC CE command is transmitted using thefeedback-disabled HARQ process. In some cases, the wireless device mayreport/transmit the capability for supporting receiving the MAC CEcommand corresponding to the feedback-disabled HARQ process.

FIG. 22 shows an example embodiment of a method that supportscommunication between a wireless device and a base station as per anaspect of the present disclosure. The method of FIG. 22 may beimplemented at the wireless device and/or the base station. The basestation may communicate with the wireless device. The wireless devicemay, for example, communicate with the base station via anon-terrestrial network (NTN), e.g., the wireless device and the basestation may operate in the NTN and/or the base station may be an NTNbase station. For example, the wireless device may be in anRRC_CONNECTED state/mode or an RRC IDLE state/mode or an RRC INACTIVEstate/mode. The wireless device may, for example, communicate with thebase station after performing an initial access. In some cases, thewireless device may communicate with the base station during the initialaccess and/or during a handover procedure.

As shown in FIG. 22 , the wireless device may receive the MAC CEcommand, from the base station at time T1. In some examples, the basestation may transmit the TB comprising the MAC CE command. In someexamples, the transmission of the MAC CE command may comprise/be thePDSCH (e.g., with repetition) transmission with/carrying/comprising theMAC CE command or the slot-aggregated PDSCH transmissionwith/carrying/comprising the MAC CE command. In an example, the MAC CEcommand (or the TB comprising the MAC CE command or the PDSCH or theslot-aggregated PDSCH) may correspond the HARQ process. As shown in FIG.22 , the HARQ feedback of the HARQ process, corresponding to (orassociated with) the MAC CE command, may be disabled, e.g., the HARQprocess may be the feedback-disabled HARQ process. For example, thewireless device may determine/identify the HARQ feedback of the HARQprocess being disabled.

For example, the base station may transmit a first DL messagecorresponding to the HARQ process from/after transmitting the MAC CEcommand, e.g., within the time duration from/after transmitting the MACCE command. In the example shown in FIG. 22 , the wireless device mayreceive, while waiting for any retransmission of the MAC CE commandafter receiving the MAC CE command, the first DL message correspondingto the HARQ process at time T1. In some cases, during the time durationfrom/after receiving the MAC CE command, the wireless device may receivethe first DL message corresponding to the HARQ process. For example, thefirst DL message may be a DCI scheduling transmission of a secondtransport block. For example, the wireless device may determine thefirst DL message not being a retransmission of the MAC CE command. Insome cases, the DCI, scheduling transmission of the second transportblock, may comprise a new data indication (NDI) field. The wirelessdevice may determine the NDI field of the DCI being toggled (e.g.,compared to a first NDI field of a first DCI scheduling transmission ofthe MAC CE command). For example, the first DL message may be a DL datatransmission (e.g., a configured DL assignment or a semi-persistentscheduling in DL). The second transport block may be different than theTB comprising the MAC CE command.

In an example embodiment, the wireless device may, in response toreceiving the first DL message, determine the application time of theMAC CE command. For example, the wireless device may stop the timeduration based on receiving the first DL message. For example, based onthe HARQ feedback of the HARQ process being disabled and the first DLmessage not indicating (or not being) the retransmission of the MAC CEcommand, the wireless device may determine the application time of theMAC CE command in response to receiving the first DL message. As shownin FIG. 22 , the wireless device may, based on the application time ofthe MAC CE command, apply the MAC CE command at time T3.

For example, the base station may, in response to transmitting the firstDL message, determine the application time of the MAC CE command. Forexample, the wireless device may stop the time duration based ontransmitting the first DL message. For example, based on the HARQfeedback of the HARQ process being disabled and the first DL message notindicating (or not being) the retransmission of the MAC CE command, thebase station may determine the application time of the MAC CE command inresponse to transmitting the first DL message. The base station mayapply the MAC CE command based on the application time of the MAC CEcommand. The wireless device may communicate with the base station basedon the applied MAC CE command.

In some cases, the application time of the MAC CE command may be whenthe first DL message (e.g., the DCI or the DL data transmission) isreceived and/or when the second transport block is received/decoded. Insome other cases, when the MAC CE command is for the ULassumption/configuration/behavior of the wireless device, theapplication time of the MAC CE command may be when the first DL message(e.g., the DCI or the DL data transmission) is received and/or when thesecond transport block is received/decoded. In some implementations,when the MAC CE command is for the DL assumption/configuration/behaviorof the wireless device, the application time of the MAC CE command maybe the third timing offset (e.g., K-Mac) after/from when the first DLmessage (e.g., the DCI or the DL data transmission) is received and/orwhen the second transport block is received/decoded.

In some implementations, the application time of the MAC CE command maybe N subframes (e.g., 3 subframes) or X (e.g., 3 ms) after/from when thefirst DL message (e.g., the DCI or the DL data transmission) is receivedand/or when the second transport block is received/decoded. In someimplementations, the application time of the MAC CE command may be Nsubframes (e.g., 3 subframes) or X (e.g., 3 ms) after/from when thefirst DL message (e.g., the DCI or the DL data transmission) is receivedand/or when the second transport block is received/decoded. In otherimplementations, when the MAC CE command is for the ULassumption/configuration/behavior of the wireless device, theapplication time of the MAC CE command may be N subframes (e.g., 3subframes) or X (e.g., 3 ms) after/from when the first DL message (e.g.,the DCI or the DL data transmission) is received and/or when the secondtransport block is received/decoded. In some other implementations, whenthe MAC CE command is for the DL assumption/configuration/behavior ofthe wireless device, the application time of the MAC CE command may beN1 subframes (or X1 milliseconds) after/from when the first DL message(e.g., the DCI or the DL data transmission) is received and/or when thesecond transport block is received/decoded. after/from the time durationfrom receiving the MAC CE command. For example, N1 is equal to asummation of N and K-Mac (in subframes). For example, X1 is equal to asummation of X and K-Mac (in milliseconds).

Some example embodiments may improve the alignment for UL/DLtransmissions between the wireless device and/or the base station, e.g.,based on determining the MAC CE command not being retransmitted and/orthe HARQ processing being used for a new DL transmission (e.g., the DLdata transmission).

FIG. 23 shows a flowchart illustrating a method that supportscommunication between a wireless device and a base station as per anaspect of the present disclosure. The method of FIG. 23 may beimplemented at the wireless device and/or the base station. The basestation may communicate with the wireless device. The wireless devicemay, for example, communicate with the base station via anon-terrestrial network (NTN), e.g., the wireless device and the basestation may operate in the NTN and/or the base station may be an NTNbase station. For example, the wireless device may be in anRRC_CONNECTED state/mode or an RRC IDLE state/mode or an RRC INACTIVEstate/mode. The wireless device may, for example, communicate with thebase station after performing an initial access. In some cases, thewireless device may communicate with the base station during the initialaccess and/or during a handover procedure.

In the example shown in FIG. 23 , the wireless device may receive, fromthe base station, at least one DL transmission of the MAC CE command.For example, the at least one DL transmission of the MAC CE command maycorrespond to the HARQ process. In some cases, at least one DLtransmission of the MAC CE command may comprise an initial transmissionof the MAC CE command and at least one retransmission of the MAC CEcommand. In some cases, at least one DL transmission of the MAC CEcommand may comprise an initial transmission of the TB, comprising theMAC CE command, and at least one retransmission of the TB. In somecases, each DL transmission of the MAC CE command among/from the atleast one DL transmission of the MAC CE command may comprise/be thePDSCH (e.g., with repetition) transmission with/carrying/comprising theMAC CE command or the slot-aggregated PDSCH transmissionwith/carrying/comprising the MAC CE command.

As shown in FIG. 23 , the HARQ feedback of the HARQ process,corresponding to (or associated with) the MAC CE command (or the atleast one DL transmission of the MAC CE command), may be disabled, e.g.,the HARQ process may be the feedback-disabled HARQ process. For example,the wireless device may determine/identify the HARQ feedback of the HARQprocess being disabled. In an example embodiment, the wireless device(and/or the base station) may determine the application time of the MACCE command based on the HARQ feedback of the HARQ process being disabledand the at least one DL transmission of the MAC CE command. For example,the application time of the MAC CE command may be based on afirst/initial/earliest/starting DL transmission of the MAC CE commandamong/from the at least one DL transmission of the MAC CE command. Forexample, the application time of the MAC CE command may be based on alast/final/ending/latest DL transmission of the MAC CE commandamong/from the at least one DL transmission of the MAC CE command. Forexample, the application time of the MAC CE command may be based on theindication of the MAC CE command. In some cases, the indication mayindicate a DL transmission of the MAC CE command among/from the at leastone DL transmission of the MAC CE command for applying the MAC CEcommand. As shown in FIG. 21 , the wireless device (and/or the basestation) may apply the MAC CE command based on the application time ofthe MAC CE command. The wireless device may communicate with the basestation based on the applied MAC CE command.

Some example embodiments of the present disclosure may improve thealignment for UL/DL transmissions between the wireless device and/or thebase station, e.g., based on determining the DL transmission of the MACCE command among/from the at least one DL transmission of the MAC CEcommand for applying the MAC CE command.

FIG. 24 shows an example embodiment of a method that supportscommunication between a wireless device and a base station as per anaspect of the present disclosure. The method of FIG. 24 may beimplemented at the wireless device and/or the base station. The basestation may communicate with the wireless device. The wireless devicemay, for example, communicate with the base station via anon-terrestrial network (NTN), e.g., the wireless device and the basestation may operate in the NTN and/or the base station may be an NTNbase station. For example, the wireless device may be in anRRC_CONNECTED state/mode or an RRC_IDLE state/mode or an RRC INACTIVEstate/mode. The wireless device may, for example, communicate with thebase station after performing an initial access. In some cases, thewireless device may communicate with the base station during the initialaccess and/or during a handover procedure.

As shown in FIG. 24 , the wireless device may initiate/trigger atwo-step RA procedure. For example, the wireless device maytrigger/initiate the two-step RA procedure in response to (or for): aninitial access procedure (e.g., to transit from the RRC_IDLE state/modeto the RRC_CONNECTED state/mode), a positioning procedure, an uplinkcoverage recovery procedure, initiating a beam failure recovery,receiving from the base station an RRC reconfiguration message, e.g.,during a handover procedure, receiving from the base station a PDCCHorder, re-synchronizing when new data arrives and the wireless devicestatus is out-of-sync for UL communication/transmission, new dataarrives at the buffer of the wireless device when there is no schedulingrequest (SR) resources (e.g., PUCCH) for transmitting the SR areconfigured, and/or pending data exists in the buffer of the wirelessdevice and the wireless device has reached a maximum allowable times for(re)transmitting an SR (e.g., a SR failure). In some cases, the wirelessdevice may perform the RA procedure after performing the initial access,e.g., for beam failure recovery, reporting a TA information (e.g., aUE-specific TA and/or a GNSS-acquired location information) of thewireless device, and/or SCell addition.

In some examples, the two-step RA procedure may be a contention-based RAprocedure, e.g., the higher layers (e.g., the RRC sublayer or the MAClayer indicates triggering/initiating the two-step RA procedure). Thewireless device may, for example, trigger/initiate the RA procedurebased on the higher layers indicating triggering/initiating the two-stepRA procedure.

For example, in response to the triggering/initiating the two-step RAprocedure, the wireless device may transmit a Msg A. In some cases, theMsg A may comprise at least a preamble and a Msg A payload/transportblock. The wireless device may determine a HARQ process corresponding tothe RA procedure being feedback disabled. For example, the HARQ processmay have ID/number/index zero. For example, the HARQ process may be usedfor transmitting the Msg A payload/transport block. In some cases, thewireless device may, using a HARQ information (e.g., New Data Indicator(NDI), Transport Block size (TBS), Redundancy Version (RV), and a HARQprocess ID/number/index) corresponding to the Msg A payload/transportblock and the one or more configuration parameters, determine the HARQprocess being feedback disabled.

In response to transmitting the Msg A, the wireless device may start aRAR window (e.g., msgB-ResponseWindow) after a first offset (e.g., theUE-gNB RTT) from transmission time/occasion of the Msg A (e.g., thepreamble or the Msg A payload). For example, the first offset may bebased on the propagation delay between the wireless device and the basestation. In an example, the first offset may be the UE-gNB RTT. Whilethe RAR window is running, the wireless device may monitor PDCCH forreceiving a RAR.

In an example embodiment, as shown in FIG. 24 , the wireless device may,in response to transmitting the Msg A, receive at least one Msg B. EachMsg B of/among/from the at least one Msg B may comprise the RAR. In someimplementations, receiving the at least one Msg B may comprise receivingan initial Msg B and at least one retransmission of the Msg B.

In some cases, based on receiving the initial Msg B the wireless devicemay not stop the RAR window. For example, the wireless device may keeprunning the RAR window and/or restart the RAR window.

For example, based on the HARQ process being feedback disabled, thewireless device may monitor the PDCCH to receive the at least one Msg B.For example, the at least one Msg B may comprise the (absolute) TAC MACCE command. As shown in FIG. 24 , the wireless device may determine anapplication time of the (absolute) TAC MAC CE based on the at least oneMsg B. For example, the application time may be based on receiving theinitial Msg B. In another example, the application time may be based onreceiving the at least one retransmission of the Msg B. For example, theapplication time may be based on receiving afirst/initial/starting/earliest reception of the Msg B among/from the atleast one Msg B reception. For example, the application time may bebased on receiving a last/final/ending/latest reception of the Msg Bamong/from the at least one Msg B reception.

In some cases, the wireless device may wait for the RAR window to expirefor applying the (absolute) TAC MAC CE command. In some other cases, thewireless device may wait for the time duration to apply the TAC MAC CEcommand.

The wireless device, upon or in response to applying the TAC MAC CEcommand, start or restart the timeAlignmentTimer (e.g., associated witha timing advance group, TAG, e.g., a primary TAG).

In the above descriptions of FIGS. 20-24 , operations between the basestation and the wireless device may be performed in a different orderthan the example order shown, or the operations performed by the basestation and the wireless device may be performed in different orders orat different times. In some cases, some operations, shown FIGS. 20-24 ,may be performed in different orders that shown or may be performedoptionally, e.g., the base station and/or the wireless device may (ormay not) omit performing one or more optional operations.

In some cases, the operations between the base station and the wirelessdevice may further comprise one or more UL/DL transmissions which arenot shown in FIGS. 20-24 . For example, the base station may transmitthe one or more configuration parameters (e.g., the one or more RRCconfiguration parameters) to the wireless device prior to transmittingthe MAC CE command. For example, the wireless device may receive the oneor more configuration parameters from the base station prior toreceiving the MAC CE command. In some implementations, the one or moreconfiguration parameters may comprise one or more RACH configurationparameters. The one or more RACH configuration parameters may comprise afirst RACH configuration parameters (e.g., RA-ConfigCommon IE),corresponding to a four-step RA type (e.g., the RA_TYPE is the4-stepRA), e.g., for performing the four-step RA procedure. The one ormore RACH configuration parameters may, for example, comprise a secondRACH configuration parameters (e.g., RA-ConfigCommonTwoStepRA-r16 IEand/or Msg A-PUSCH-Config IE), corresponding to a two-step RA type(e.g., the RA_TYPE is the 2-stepRA), e.g., for performing the two-stepRA procedure.

An example method comprising: receiving, by a wireless device, a mediumaccess control (MAC) control element (CE) command, wherein a feedback ofa hybrid automatic repeat request (HARM) process associated with the MACCE command is disabled; and applying the MAC CE command after a timeduration, to wait for any retransmissions of the MAC CE command, fromreceiving the MAC CE command based on the feedback being disabled.

The above example-method, further comprising receiving one or moreconfiguration parameters indicating the feedback of the HARQ processbeing disabled.

One or more of the above-example methods, wherein the time duration ispredefined or preconfigured. One or more of the above-example methods,further comprising receiving an indication for (or indicating) the timeduration, wherein the indication for the time duration is indicated viaat least one of one or more configuration parameters; the MAC CEcommand; or a downlink control information (DCI), wherein the DCIschedules/indicates transmission of the MAC CE command.

One or more of the above-example methods, wherein the MAC CE commandindicates the time duration or a value of the time duration. One or moreof the above-example methods, wherein the MAC CE command comprises afield indicating the time duration or the value of the time duration.One or more of the above-example methods, further comprising receivingone or more configuration parameters indicating the time duration or thevalue of the time duration. One or more of the above-example methods,wherein the time duration is based on a processing capability of thewireless device. One or more of the above-example methods, wherein theprocessing capability of the wireless device comprises a processing timeof the MAC layer of the wireless device.

One or more of the above-example methods, wherein the processingcapability comprises a minimum time between two consecutive downlinktransmissions of the HARQ process, wherein: a first downlinktransmission of the two consecutive downlink transmissions comprises aphysical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) transmission and a seconddownlink transmission of the two consecutive downlink transmissionscomprises a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) transmission,wherein the PDCCH transmission is received after receiving the PDSCHtransmission; or a first downlink transmission of the two consecutivedownlink transmissions comprises a first PDSCH transmission and a seconddownlink transmission of the two consecutive downlink transmissionscomprises a second PDSCH transmission, wherein the second PDSCHtransmission is received after receiving the first PDSCH transmission.

One or more of the above-example methods, wherein the time duration isnot based on a processing time of the MAC layer of the wireless device.One or more of the above-example methods, wherein the applying the MACCE command is a number of subframes after the time duration fromreceiving the MAC CE command, wherein the number of subframes is basedon the processing time of the MAC layer of the wireless device.

One or more of the above-example methods, further comprising determiningthe time duration based on a resource occasion of a physical uplinkcontrol channel (PUCCH) corresponding to the feedback of the HARQprocess. One or more of the above-example methods, further comprisingdetermining the MAC CE command not being retransmitted during the timeduration. One or more of the above-example methods, wherein the applyingthe MAC CE command is based on not receiving at least one retransmissionof the retransmissions during the time duration.

One or more of the above-example methods, further comprising: receivinga first MAC CE command, wherein the MAC CE command is associated withthe HARQ process; and receiving, within the time duration from/afterreceiving the first MAC CE command, a retransmission of the first MAC CEcommand; and not applying the MAC CE command based on: the feedbackbeing disabled; and the receiving the retransmission of the first MAC CEcommand. One or more of the above-example methods, wherein not applyingthe MAC CE command is further based on receiving, within the timeduration from/after receiving the first MAC CE command, a DCI schedulingtransmission of a retransmission of the first MAC CE command. One ormore of the above-example methods, further comprising: receiving asecond MAC CE command, wherein a feedback of a first hybrid automaticrepeat request (HARQ) process associated with the second MAC CE commandis not disabled; and applying the second MAC CE command a number ofsubframes after (or in response to) transmitting the feedback of thefirst HARQ process from receiving the second MAC CE command, wherein thenumber of subframes is based on a processing time of the MAC layer ofthe wireless device. One or more of the above-example methods, whereinthe MAC CE command indicates a communication parameter for communicatingwith a base station.

One or more of the above-example methods, further comprising:implementing the communication parameter based on applying the MAC CEcommand; and communicating, with the base station, based on theimplemented communication parameter. One or more of the above-examplemethods, wherein the implementing the communication parameter comprisesaltering/adjusting/updating a configuration of the wireless device,wherein the configuration of the wireless device is an uplinkconfiguration of the wireless device or a downlink configuration of thewireless device. One or more of the above-example methods, wherein thetime duration starts from a last/ending/latest symbol of a PDSCHtransmission with/carrying the MAC CE. One or more of the above-examplemethods, wherein the wireless device communicates with a base stationvia a non-terrestrial network (NTN). An example method comprising:receiving, by a wireless device, a medium access control (MAC) controlelement (CE) command, wherein a feedback of a hybrid automatic repeatrequest (HARQ) process associated with the MAC CE command is disabled;and waiting to apply the MAC CE command for a time duration, for anyretransmissions of the MAC CE command, from receiving the MAC CE commandbased on the feedback being disabled.

The above example-method, further comprising applying the MAC CE commandbased on not receiving any of the retransmissions during the timeduration.

One or more of the above-example methods, further comprising: receiving,during the time duration, a retransmission of the MAC CE command;determining not to apply the MAC CE command in response to receiving theMAC CE command and the retransmission of the MAC CE command; andapplying the MAC CE command a second time duration, to wait for anyretransmissions, from receiving the retransmission of the MAC CEcommand.

One or more of the above-example methods, wherein the second timeduration is the time duration. One or more of the above-example methods,further comprising applying the MAC CE command based on not receivingany of the retransmissions during the second time duration. One or moreof the above-example methods, further comprising: receiving, during thetime duration, a retransmission of the MAC CE command; determining toapply the MAC CE command in response to receiving the MAC CE command andthe retransmission of the MAC CE command; and applying the MAC CEcommand based on the determining.

An example method comprising: receiving, by a wireless device, a mediumaccess control (MAC) control element (CE) command, wherein a feedback ofa hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process associated with the MACCE command is disabled; and receiving, during a time duration fromreceiving the MAC CE command, a first downlink message corresponding tothe HARQ process; and applying the MAC CE command after a time duration,to wait for any retransmissions of the MAC CE command, from receivingthe first downlink message based on: the feedback being disabled; andthe first downlink message not indicating a retransmission of the MAC CEcommand.

An example method comprising: receiving, by a wireless device, a mediumaccess control (MAC) control element (CE) command, wherein a feedback ofa hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process associated with the MACCE command is disabled; and determining an application time of the MACCE command based on: the HARQ process being feedback disabled; andwhether the MAC CE command being retransmitted or not; and applying theMAC CE command based on the application time of the MAC CE command.

The above example-method, further comprising determining whether the MACCE command being retransmitted during a time window from the MAC CEcommand.

An example method comprising: receiving, by a wireless device, at leastone downlink transmission of a MAC CE command, wherein a feedback of ahybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process associated with the MACCE command is disabled; determining an application time of the MAC CEcommand based on: the feedback of the HARQ process being disabled; andthe at least one downlink transmission of the MAC CE command; andapplying the MAC CE command based on the application time of the MAC CEcommand.

The above example-method, wherein the determining is further based on adownlink transmission of the MAC CE command among the at least onedownlink transmission of the MAC CE command. One or more of theabove-example methods, wherein the downlink transmission of the MAC CEcommand is a last downlink transmission of the MAC CE command among theat least one downlink transmission of the MAC CE command.

One or more of the above-example methods, wherein the downlinktransmission of the MAC CE command is a first downlink transmission ofthe MAC CE command among the at least one downlink transmission of theMAC CE command. One or more of the above-example methods, furthercomprising determining the downlink transmission of the MAC CE commandamong the at least one downlink transmission of the MAC CE command.

One or more of the above-example methods, wherein the determining isbased on an indication indicated by the downlink transmission of the MACCE command.

What is claimed is:
 1. A wireless device comprising: one or moreprocessors; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by theone or more processors, cause the wireless device to: receive a packetcorresponding to a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process,wherein the packet comprises a medium access control (MAC) controlelement (CE); and based on whether a feedback of the HARQ process beingenabled or disabled, apply the MAC CE after at least one of: a firsttime duration starting from transmission of feedback of the packet; or asecond time duration starting from reception of the packet.
 2. Thewireless device of claim 1, wherein the packet is a MAC packet data unit(PDU).
 3. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the instructionsfurther cause the wireless device to receive one or more radio resourcecontrol (RRC) configuration parameters indicating whether the feedbackof the HARQ process is enabled or disabled.
 4. The wireless device ofclaim 3, wherein: the applying the MAC CE is after the first timeduration starting from transmission of feedback of the packet based onthe one or more RRC configuration parameters indicating the feedback ofthe HARQ process being enabled; and the feedback of the packet is HARQacknowledgement (ACK) information feedback of the packet.
 5. Thewireless device of claim 3, wherein the applying the MAC CE is after thesecond time duration starting from reception of the packet based on theone or more RRC configuration parameters indicating the feedback of theHARQ process being disabled.
 6. The wireless device of claim 1, whereinthe instructions further cause the wireless device to: based on theapplying the MAC CE, implement a communication parameter indicated bythe MAC CE; and communicate, with a base station, based on theimplemented communication parameter.
 7. The wireless device of claim 6,wherein the implementing the communication parameter comprises at leastone of: altering a first configuration of the wireless device, whereinthe first configuration of the wireless device is a first uplinkconfiguration of the wireless device or a first downlink configurationof the wireless device; adjusting a second configuration of the wirelessdevice, wherein the second configuration of the wireless device is asecond uplink configuration of the wireless device or a second downlinkconfiguration of the wireless device; or updating a third configurationof the wireless device, wherein the third configuration of the wirelessdevice is a third uplink configuration of the wireless device or a thirddownlink configuration of the wireless device.
 8. The wireless device ofclaim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the wireless device todetermine the packet not being retransmitted during the second timeduration, wherein the second time duration is for waiting forretransmission of the packet.
 9. A method comprising: receiving, by awireless device, a packet corresponding to a hybrid automatic repeatrequest (HARQ) process, wherein the packet comprises a medium accesscontrol (MAC) control element (CE); and based on whether a feedback ofthe HARQ process being enabled or disabled, applying the MAC CE after atleast one of: a first time duration starting from transmission offeedback of the packet; or a second time duration starting fromreception of the packet.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the packetis a MAC packet data unit (PDU).
 11. The method of claim 9, furthercomprising receiving one or more radio resource control (RRC)configuration parameters indicating whether the feedback of the HARQprocess is enabled or disabled.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein: theapplying the MAC CE is after the first time duration starting fromtransmission of feedback of the packet based on the one or more RRCconfiguration parameters indicating the feedback of the HARQ processbeing enabled; and the feedback of the packet is HARQ acknowledgement(ACK) information feedback of the packet.
 13. The method of claim 11,wherein the applying the MAC CE is after the second time durationstarting from reception of the packet based on the one or more RRCconfiguration parameters indicating the feedback of the HARQ processbeing disabled.
 14. The method of claim 9, further comprising: based onthe applying the MAC CE, implementing a communication parameterindicated by the MAC CE; and communicating, with a base station, basedon the implemented communication parameter.
 15. The method of claim 14,wherein the implementing the communication parameter comprises at leastone of: altering a first configuration of the wireless device, whereinthe first configuration of the wireless device is a first uplinkconfiguration of the wireless device or a first downlink configurationof the wireless device; adjusting a second configuration of the wirelessdevice, wherein the second configuration of the wireless device is asecond uplink configuration of the wireless device or a second downlinkconfiguration of the wireless device; or updating a third configurationof the wireless device, wherein the third configuration of the wirelessdevice is a third uplink configuration of the wireless device or a thirddownlink configuration of the wireless device.
 16. The method of claim9, further comprising determining the packet not being retransmittedduring the second time duration, wherein the second time duration is forwaiting for retransmission of the packet.
 17. A non-transitorycomputer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed byone or more processors of a wireless device, cause the wireless deviceto: receive a packet corresponding to a hybrid automatic repeat request(HARQ) process, wherein the packet comprises a medium access control(MAC) control element (CE); and based on whether a feedback of the HARQprocess being enabled or disabled, apply the MAC CE after at least oneof: a first time duration starting from transmission of feedback of thepacket; or a second time duration starting from reception of the packet.18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein thepacket is a MAC packet data unit (PDU).
 19. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions furthercause the wireless device to receive one or more radio resource control(RRC) configuration parameters indicating whether the feedback of theHARQ process is enabled or disabled.
 20. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein: the applying the MAC CEis after the first time duration starting from transmission of feedbackof the packet based on the one or more RRC configuration parametersindicating the feedback of the HARQ process being enabled; and thefeedback of the packet is HARQ acknowledgement (ACK) informationfeedback of the packet.